The Order of Pendragon
by dem bones
Summary: Adopted from Iago96's story. After a mishap at Borgin and Burkes, Harry Potter is sent 12 years in an alternate future where he died as a little boy. Can Harry return home, safely? HP/SS SLASH.
1. Chapter 1

The Prophecy of Pendragon-Chapter 1

By Dembones

Summary: Years after the battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter hopes to discover information on the disappearance of Severus Snape. What happens when Harry is captured by former death eaters and why does Snape seem to want to kill him?

Disclaimer: The impressive amount of character development and exotic settings is amazing... Harry Potter was my idea. Just kidding, all person, place or things mentioned in this fic belong to JK Rowling. I am not gaining any profit for writing this. Any other characters that show up will be given credit by the original creator.

Edited 11/15/2011.

/- visions or dream states.

' '- thoughts

" "- speech

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

A familiar grunt emitted from a fireplace. As quickly as it was emitted, a man with messy black hair ran towards the fireplace.

"Hey, Sir," A barely distinguishable face was made out through the wood and ash.

"Potter, we need you at the Ministry right away,"

The young man turned to glance a moment at his wife at the table with long red hair.

"Can it wait?"

"Sorry, I'd only floo you to tell you to come if it was of absolute importance,"

"Can you hold on a second, I have to say goodbye to my wife,"

The young man walked up to the red head.

"Harry..." his wife whispered, urgently.

"I'm sorry,"

"I'm really worried about you, Harry," the woman stated with concern, "The amount of crime has seemed to increase, I've even heard in the Daily Prophet about the Death Eaters breaking out of Azkaban,"

"I know, Ginny,"

"Promise me, Harry," Ginny requested urgently, "Promise me, you'll return home safely,"

"I'll try, Ginny," Harry sighed. "I'll try,"

Harry Potter's lips drew closer to Ginny's it would be the last time he ever shared a kiss with his wife.

Within moments, Harry prepared a handful of floo powder and stepped within the flames.

The moment he arrived, he stumbled a bit slowly taking in his surrounding. He'd been here many times before. This was the Minister's office, the Minister for Magic. The African drums and the bamboo plant gave head way who it was.

Seated at his desk stood Kingsley Shacklebolt. Kingsley was not only Harry's boss in the auror department but had work with International Relations.

He had to visit the Russian Minister for Magic last year, something to do with underground political rallies.

Of course, Harry had knew about the death eaters escaping from Azkaban. But it was merely denial to say Trolls were far more effective than dementors had ever been.

Trolls were stupid creatures driven solely by their primitive instincts. They were more like cavemen with the way they held their clubs.

The Minister had insisted it had been in Dumbledore's will after all, that the dementors be driven from Azkaban. But it was like his work was cut out for him, the minute he apprehended an escaped convict from Azkaban someone else would break out making his job that much harder.

The Auror stood at his desk handing Harry a photograph.

Harry was baffled, now wasn't the time to be taking pictures.

As Harry looked down at the portrait, he would have nearly spitted out anything he dared have drunk or eaten in his mouth. In the photograph, was the continuing animation of a man dressed in black, wand emitting a green light directed at an old man. The photo was taken in very bad quality, Harry could barely make out the face of Severus Snape.

"Has the case finally been reopened," Harry asked.

"You mean the casefile concerning the disappearance of Severus Snape," Kingsley asked.

"Yeah," Harry said. "Even you must find it at least a bit fishy that there was no sign of his body after his death,"

"As I recall, most of our veterans could hardly conclude a dead body had even been there,"

" It doesn't make sense," Harry stated frustratingly, "If this is truly Severus Snape, where has he been for nearly ten years,"

"Beats me but Harry, he must be apprehended,"

"Apprehended?" Harry exclaimed in shock. "Surely, you must know he's innocent. Dumbledore gave me his word. I've seen his memories for Merlin's sake,"

"Harry, Snape has cast a number of unforgiving spells on unsuspecting victims," Kingsley explained. "This is only one of many attacks, over the past three years,"

Just then, an owl swooped in. It gracefully landed in front of the two of them. Kingsley took the fine scroll within the owl's talons.

"It is only recently we have been able to connect Snape's disappearance to these mysterious murders," Kingsley undid the binding on the scroll.

The Auror's eyes accessed the piece of parchment in front of him. In an instant, his eyes turned colder and Harry could see Kingsley was coming down to a conclusion fairly quickly.

"Potter, you and Mr. Weasley are needed in Knockturn Alley," Kingsley stated. " Apparently there is a scuffle going on, I've given you the privilege of lowering the anti-apparition wards, you are free to apparate to the Weasleys,"

Oh, how Harry hated his life. Just once would he like to get somewhere like any other person without any magic. Harry concentrated on turning himself inside out, the picture of a small cottage in his mind.

In an instant, Harry found himself outside the Weasley's home. He opened the gate feeling himself embraced with the kind aura of Hermione's magic. He knew Ron himself didn't do it. He hadn't the skill to create magical wards and Hermione had been quite the witch during their school days.

Harry knocked on the door, a young woman with wavy brown hair opened the door. Hermione Granger still looked quite young. Over the years she'd taken to keeping her hair shorter so the long hair overtly curly to the point of being frizzly softened, leaving smooth waves. Harry could see Ron in the background. He was polishing his wand.

"Ron, we're on duty," Harry said urgently.

Ron placed his wand in the holster kept on his hips.

"We need to apparate to Knockturn Alley,"

"Knockturn Alley," Ron asked flabbergasted. "What's going on down there?"

Nothing more was said, as the two men apparated yet again.

Harry couldn't remember a time, this place had been more eerie. Tall buildings hid dark alleyways, it was where the darkest, evilest, greediest wizards did their business.

He wasn't sure what would have happened in his second year at Hogwarts if Hagrid hadn't seen him over here in Knockturn Alley. As evil as Harry had heard, he was sure he would be mobbed and left for dead.

Ron shivered.

"Harry, do you feel that,"

A slight wave of magic filled the air, creepy and spooky and at the same time eerie and dangerous.

Suddenly a mass of dizziness made him sway in his steps.

The faint images of a familiar man with disheveled black hair, handed him a pocket watch.

/"...I fixed it for you,"/

Harry's hand flew to his waist as he held the pocket watch that his mother-in-law had given him.

/The images changed to reveal a tall woman with hair tied up in a bun. "It isn't as simple as time travel, it is far more complex than any of us could imagine,"/

Suddenly an image of several blades of white light faded his vision before Ron grabbed his shoulders.

"Are you alright, mate?"

Harry felt a spine-prickling feeling, "I'm fine,"

As they neared the end of the alley most shops having gone through major wear and tear, Harry and Ron spotted an abandoned building.

Harry instantly recognized Borgin and Burkes from his sixth year. He had spied Draco Malfoy shopping with his mother in the shop.

While it had also gone through major wear and tear like most of the other buildings, presently it seemed in much worse condition than either it or other buildings had ever gone through.

The silence that lurked the alley also wasn't a good sign. Harry and Ron surrounded the building, planning the stealthiest move. It hadn't been in any of their slightest advantages that they had skipped out on their NEWTS or any of the Auror training. Stealth wasn't their strong suit.

Ron accessed the oak boards that lined the windows, Harry felt the door to access it's strength. It was through much observing, that Ron reluctantly followed Harry into an underground basement. Slow movements provided less noise.

The inside was dark and held cool crisp air. The cold crisp air, chilled Harry's spine and Harry couldn't help but think something was going to go wrong any second.

Over the years when he had been surrounded by his friends, there were times he and Ron would hold a conversation. Hell, there were times where even he and Hermione would hold a conversation. He had got to know both of his friends fairly well, it couldn't be helped really.

Hermione had always valued knowledge during her years at Hogwarts. While at times it was a hindrance Harry could respect her for that even if it could get overbearing at times.

Then there was Ron during his fourth year at Hogwarts, he remembered at a time the man had been jealous of him.

Jealous of his fame. What had been the benefit? Over the years, he only constantly bickered of the disadvantages of it.

Clearly Ron could have used it in his fifth year though. The constant pressure of satisfying the people's eyes and Malfoy didn't help matters. Harry knew Ron was clumsy but being taunted by Slytherin house had put him on the edge he was sure. Harry had noted his gestures were more clumsy when he was nervous. It was times like these he would most likely trip and fall.

Suddenly it happened, Harry was sure it must have been his nerves. But in an instant, Ron's foot had caught on the ground and he fell with a light thump.

Before he could set his wand out to defend himself, a light burst open in the room and a young woman with dark sleek black hair had a wand pointed at Harry. She was surrounded by several men.

"Ah, Harry Potter, it is a pleasure to meet you," She said deliciously. Her lips caked with coral lip stick making her look as tantalizing as a snake.

In the background, Harry instantly recognized Antonin Dolonov, Fenrir Greyback and Amycus Carrow. Amycus wore an expression of utter loathing, apparently he had never forgotten what Harry had done to his sister. He was sure Alecto Carrow was still in St. Mungos under psychological evaluation.

"Who are you," Harry asked.

"Why, Harry," The woman taunted. "Don't you remember, I guess you don't talk much with your peers,"

"Stop these games, who are you," Harry asked, this time pointing his wand at her.

"Morgana Burkes," She said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, I was sorted into Slytherin three years after you defeated the Dark Lord,"

Harry's eyes widened in realisation.

"Oh, no I wasn't called upon to get the Dark Mark, I wasn't old enough you see," Morgana explained. "I started doing petty crimes and eventually I condoned in a thirst for murdering muggles, nothing but the dark life but then I discovered new allies in Azkaban,"

Amycus waved his wand and in one gesture, Harry's wand was in his hands.

"Bound and tie him," Morgana said, no remorse in her voice.

Within seconds Harry was bound and tied magically with ropes.

In the distance, he could see Ron unconscious but breathing. Deep within himself he called upon the power within himself to summon enough magic to enervrate his friend and cast a disillusionment charm. Harry closed his eyes, while someone cast a hovering charm over his body.

He could feel a surge of magic pumping through his veins and when he dared open his eyes, he no longer could see Ron's body visible on the floor.

Harry stifled a sigh of relief as he was taken to the midst of the shop.

The shop seemed to have been ransacked, books sprawled open nearly covered the floor.

In the distance, he seen a fat grubby man pale and bloody.

Harry could deduce the man was Mr. Borgin, he could recognize the pile of blubber anywhere.

He had seen him a number of times when he followed Malfoy into the shop and when he was rummaging through Dumbledore's memories.

But just what was he doing here all tied up, his question was answered when a familiar silhouette entered the room followed by Antonin Dolonov.

Before him with dark black hair and glassy black eyes was Severus Snape. However his expression contained nothing he had ever seen on his ex-professor's face.

They were taunting him, they knew how important Snape had been to the war, they knew in the end that the deatheater was on his side. That's why Severus Snape stood standing before him, removing his wand from the inside of the cuff in his left arm pointing it at Harry.

It was as if he were a puppet to someone else's strings. Snape's face held no emotion.

It was impassive,

It was dull.

It had been over five seconds and Harry could have sworn it was in the professor's best interests that he'd blink. But no, his face was plastered motionless and stale.

Harry didn't want to remember his last moments of death staring at his professor's face. In fact, he didn't want to die. He had promised Ginny he'd return safely.

He promised Ginny he'd return.

Harry eager not to focus on his awaiting death, zoned in on the walls of the bookstore. Appraising several of the masks on the wall varying between funny faces, sad faces and evil faces.

He looked at the clock above a bookshelf in the center of the room. The clock ticked.

TICK...TOCK...TICK...TOCK

Snape held the wand before him pointing it directly into Harry's heart. Harry looked directly in those black eyes, and briefly wondered if Snape had any control over his actions.

He wondered if Snape really had such an inane desire to kill him. In an instant however when the words were about to be emitted from Snape's mouth, Harry had detected something in Snape's eyes. A spark, a defiance in his eyes. Snape's movements hesitated slightly and Harry barely noticed the telling gesture as Snape's eyes accessed what was beyond him.

Suddenly Snape cast his trademark spell.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!,"

Then Harry saw white.

After the spell was cast, a mirror clearly visible behind Harry Potter shattered outwards. Shards of glass embedded in Harry's skin. The glass began to glow a fine white color as Harry was sucked backwards in the newfound hole in the glass mirror.

He had cast the curse with the singular intention of critically injuring the former death eater. Snape had aimed the white blades of the Sectumsempra curse, so that the velocity of which the spell was cast could significantly hurt the death eater behind him. Of course, Harry Potter would get caught in the crossfire but it was the least of his problems. He was sure the boy would be safe soon if he had little to do with it.

Antonin Dolonov dragged his painful body around the glass infested floor. Eyes shut in pain, silent moans and screams. Severus Snape, now more alert than ever turned towards Dolonov's body.

"AVADA KEDAVRA."

In his office, a man tall, thin and very old judging by the silver of his hair and beard which were both long enough to tuck into his belt was startled to sense an intrusion. The wards he had placed around the school, alerted him to an intruder out on their Quidditch pitch.

Calling his deputy and heading out on the Quidditch field to meet the flying instructor, he set off to find out who it was.

Sprawled out on the field, shards of glass implanted in his skin was a young man spread unconscious across the flat terrain. Blood was pouring out of the different wounds all over his body. He was dressed in pure black battle robes and as the old man accessed the person in front of him, he was taken aback with shock when he could see he was unarmed.

"Is he alive?" The flying instructor asked, gasping for breath. They had ran across the field in a frenzy.

The old man waved his wand over the body, "Barely. We must get him to Poppy immediately, if he is to survive."

/In the corner of his vision, he seen a man with dark black eyes and his mouth upturned in a smirk, seated at a desk across from him, the presence somehow was settling to him. He, himself appeared to be standing, looking down at the man. Something about the presence seemed oddly familiar, but he couldn't have explained why./

Harry groaned, the sunlight in his eyes made him wince in discomfort.

"Sleeping beauty is finally awake,"

The sound seemed foreign to Harry's ears as he made out a familiar silhouette in front of him. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him.

Harry rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and reached at the corner of his right side for his glasses. However unable to find his glasses, a hand placed the glasses in his palm.

Harry carefully put on the glasses.

"YOU!" Harry exclaimed in shock.

"Good Morning, you've seemed to have a rough couple of days," the old man said with a kindly voice.

Harry turned his head to face...

"Professor Dumbledore?" He had never seen the old man look so healthy.

"Y-You're dead," Harry shook his pointed finger at Dumbledore. "What is going on? Is this some kind of a joke,"

"Alas, I wish that were the case," Dumbledore replied and turning twinkling blue eyes toward Harry. "Who are you?"

"Professor, it's me, Harry...Harry Potter, don't you recognise me," Harry asked.

"You can't be Harry! He's dead!" A voice chimed at his right side.

"I think I know who I am. I've been Harry Potter for the past 24 years. Who are you anyway? Harry replied condescendingly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you look alot like my fa-"

"Indeed, but I'd have to agree with James here you see Harry Potter died over 35 years ago,"

"That can't be!" Harry mused. "My father's dead,"

Anger overtook the terror James Potter was feeling, "I certainly am not dead!" he yelled.

Harry could feel his impatience surging and he was beginning to feel angry.

"How dare you pretend to be my son? Harry died on October 31st 1981; the whole wizarding world knows that,"

"No, you are mistaken, it was my parents that died that day." Harry protested angrily before replying rather haughtily. "Surely the whole wizarding world knows that?"

"Harry," Dumbledore asked curiously. "You say your parents died that day?"

"Yeah, Lord Voldemort," His father flinched. "He cast the Avada Kedavra curse on my father, than he killed my mother after she had tried to protect me,"

"But everyone knows you can't survive a killing curse," James fumed.

"Well, I did," Harry said defiantly.

"Well, this is certainly curious," Albus Dumbledore removed his half-moon glasses before cleaning the lenses. "That's certainly quite a story, Harry,"

"I'm not lying," Harry retorted before brushing his hair to the side to reveal a lightning shaped scar on his forehead.

James gasped, "Where did you get that scar?"

"Voldemort gave it to me. Do you believe me now."

Dumbledore looked ponderous and turned his back towards Harry. "I wonder, do you know about the theory of Alternate Universes,"

Harry looked at Dumbledore as if he were wearing a pink tutu, it was ridiculous it could be true, "Impossible, that can't be possible," Harry shook his head.

Dumbledore turned, focused on Harry's eyes.

"Harry, were it not for the evidence presented before us," Dumbledore waved his hand out towards Harry. " I would dismiss you as a lunatic,"

"Professor, I don't know a thing about Alternate Universes,"

"I see, would it be entirely possible this could be an alternate reality one similar but oh so very different than your own,"

"Well sir, it isn't entirely impossible," Harry chided. "The last thing I remember seeing is a white light before I woke up here. You see, I was captured by deatheaters and about to be killed by Severus Snape. The 'Severus Snape,' who had formed an unruly alliance with us during the Battle of Hogwarts. I think I remember hearing glass shattering before I woke up here."

It was just then a man with black hair and a long crooked nose walked in, his facial expression indifferent to the world around him. The only thing different about him was the gray strands of hair in the depths of slick black hair.

"I had a feeling someone's been talking bad about me," Snape sneered, rubbing at his irritated nose as Madam Pomfrey appeared. "Poppy, I've brought your potion,"

The moment Snape turned his eyes to access the room, his eyes skipped Harry's to meet those of James Potter.

In an instant, Harry's hand leapt to where his wand would have been if he had a wand and James and Snape turned to face each other wands pointed at the other.

"Severus, James," Albus said in a tone, that made less dare argue. Both men had lowered their wands. Snape's focus turned to the other man in the hospital gown.

Snape turned to access the man with dark disheveled hair.

"And who's this?" Snape narrowed his eyes at the man. "If I didn't know better..."

"Snivellus, I suggest you keep your abnormally large nose out of other people's business," James growled.

Snape snorted, turned on his heel and left the room.

"Harry, he didn't hurt you did he," James asked with sudden concern. "In...your world?"

"No, it was weird," Harry explained. "I was quite certain he was going to kill me. He had this look in his eyes, the look of someone who has killed before. His eyes were so cold,"

"What did he do, Harry?"

"He cast his trademark spell,"

"Sectumsempra?" James asked.

"Yes, but now that I think of it, maybe the spell wasn't aimed at me, maybe it was aimed at...at..."

"Madam Pomfrey, thinks it was aimed at a mirror of some sort," Dumbledore explained. "The glass we removed is much too thin, to have come from any other material,"

"Do you think that this mirror is somehow linked to this occurance,"

"It is quite possible, Harry," Dumbledore explained. " A mirror is merely a reflection of what could be, a perception. Are you aware that a line has one dimension, a square has two and a cube has three?"

"3D shapes," Harry said. "We did them in primary school,"

"Are you also aware that there are more than three dimensions?"

"I am Harry Potter, not Albert Einstein,"

" Touche'. They say the fourth dimension is time. However the fifth dimension, space, seems much more relevant in your case. I believe you have moved through space. Sideways in time, as it were."

"Are you saying that I am in a parallel universe? An alternate reality?" Harry asked.

"It's probable as much as it is possible,"

"How do I get back home?"

"I don't know, Harry. I don't know," Albus sighed.

"Well, if it is alright with you, I think Lily should come see her son," James smiled, before ruffling Harry's black hair. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see her son alive and well,"

As James left the room, Albus looked over Harry. Harry gave him a hard glance.

"Look Harry, I will try everything in my power to help you get home," Dumbledore explained. "I can't guarantee we will succeed, but I will try,"

Harry was silent, and deep in thought.

"My world would certainly be different if I wasn't the boy who lived..."

Dumbledore turned towards Harry shocked.

"Boy who lived? Please tell me, in this universe you actually heard the prophecy,"

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed, you recall the words no doubt,"

"In my world, that was my destiny and it may have very well ruined my life,"

"But one would certainly be more thankful they are alive than dead,"

Harry turned to face Dumbledore looking into his blue eyes.

"But you told me yourself sir, there are worser things better than death," Harry said, his gaze sad and melancholy. " One can only suffer so much, you know."

In that instant, Dumbledore was pulled into a swirl of memories.

In a jumbled ball of memories, Dumbledore instantly roamed through Harry Potter and his life at the Dursleys.

It was at this point, Dumbledore had gained the answer to one of his earlier questions.

Poppy was right, Harry had been abused.

End Notes:

1. I borrowed some of the dialogue from 'A New Chance.' by Iago96, since this story is in fact adopted from that story.

2. Have you ever read "A Stranger in the Unholy land," well, I have borrowed some quotes from that work, chapter 5 specifically to explain the concept of AUs. The credit is given to the author of that story, serpant-sorcerer. I mean why would I take credit for a good fic like that.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

James Potter returned with his wife in record time. It seemed that he had explained who Harry was on the way up because the red-haired woman immediately flew over to the bed.

And Harry for the first time realized he was only wearing a hospital gown flushed bright red as the woman embraced him.

"I have dreamed of this for thirty-five years. My son. My little Harry. All grown up." Tears were streaming down her face.

Harry stared at the living version of the face he had once spent hours looking at in a photograph. She was even more beautiful. Although considerably older, she did not look her age. Her eyes were the image of his own, down to the exact shade. Lily's red hair flamed brighter than any of the Weasleys and fell in ringlets down her back. After a minute, Harry was released from her tight embrace.

When she had asked who had raised him, Harry chose to remain silent. He had scars from where Uncle Vernon had belted him. Even with magic, they were still there. He didn't know if he could trust his parent with this information much less Dumbledore.

He was quite certain Dumbledore had known the Dursleys at their worse, yet somehow he had been more safer at the Dursleys than at Hogwarts? It hadn't made sense. Love was supposed to be powerful than the strongest magic available. Yet, he was sure across time and space, his own wife was pouring her own tears out, weeping at his funeral because there was no logical way one could disappear from one's own world and not be dead.

"It's alright if you don't want to talk," Lily said, carefully placing her hand on his shoulder.

"It's not that, I just feel a bit uncomfortable talking about it," Harry explained.

It didn't take a dumber than average person to know what Harry had implied.

"I'm so sorry we weren't there for you, Harry," She despaired.

"I...I lived because of your sacrifice. I could never have asked anything more of you than that. I had friends. The Weasleys are more like a family to me and I am very grateful for them. We have had hardships but it has only made us stronger," Harry grieved. "Now I'm just happy you both are alive and safe."

" Harry, you said you fought with deatheaters in your world did you not?" Albus asked.

"Yes."

"Did you by chance work under the auror department in your world?"

"Of course," Harry nodded.

"As you are aware, it is impossible to become an auror unless you have an academic record proving you have an exceeds expectations in all of your NEWTS,"

"No, but..."

"If you don't have a record here Harry, it is impossible to be accepted in the Auror division and there is no other place you could attend that would except a twenty..."

"Four,"

"A twenty four year old student in their seventh year class."

"But where will I go, I have no one,"

"You're wrong, Harry," James replied. "You have your family."

Harry thought he had misheard, "Sorry?"

"I said: you have your family here. You may not be the child that I raised but you are my son none the less and I'm sure Lily would agree with me."

Harry felt tears gather in his eyes. A family! That was what he had always wanted.

"Now I'm sure Albus can arrange...something with you," James said to Harry before he turned to Dumbledore. "Albus, surely there is something Harry can do,"

"Yes..." Albus grunted. "I suppose there is it would require the best work on your part though, Mr. Potter,"

"Of course, what is it,"

"Teaching credentials."

"But Professor, I can't teach students," Harry retorted.

"Of course not, Mr. Potter," Albus explained. "You merely have to observe, and study for the teacher's EXAM, that shouldn't be too hard for you,"

"But that still doesn't cover where I'm supposed to live,"

"Harry, I'm sure if memory serves you already know a place to live right here on campus," Albus said, eyes twinkling.

Harry turned to look at his dad, his face clearly said he thought Dumbledore had lost his marbles. Then it hit him...The Room of Requirement.

"Now rest, I believe Madam Pomfrey wants you to stay here for several more days before moving about," Albus said.

"But I feel fine,"

"I agree with Albus," Lily said worry implanted on her features.

"Oh, alright," Harry sighed in defeat.

Finally after a couple of days had gone by, Harry called upon the mediwitch.

"Can I leave now?" He had spent far too much time in this very bed since he turned eleven, he knew the Hospital Wing as well as his own room and hated it for what it meant.

She frowned, "Well, usually I'd have expected a patient with your injuries to be here for at least 2 weeks before I even considered releasing them but since you seem by some miracle by the grace of Merlin, to be able to function, against my better judgement, I'm going to let you leave now. But if you feel worse I expect you to come straight back."

She sighed and placed her palm against her head. That boy was just as bad as Severus Snape on a good day.

Harry got hold of his clothes placed his shirt on before slipping in his trousers and he put on his black battle robes over his clothing prefering the wizard dress code over the muggle one.

If he remembered correctly, the headmaster's office was just down the hall. Before him stood the stone gargoyle blocking the entrance.

Every sweet came to mind as Harry kept repeating sweets in front of the gargoyle.

When Severus Snape found him like that, he was stunned beyond belief never in his life had the stalky man met someone who looked so stupid.

"You really look like a fool, standing there naming every possible muggle sweet," A soft voice said.

Harry felt a chill down his spine, already knowing that voice all too well. "But he usually uses them as passwords,"

He turned to look at Snape, strategically avoiding his eyes. Instead Harry focused on his facial expression which for an instant conveyed utter surprise before turning into an impassive mask.

"It wouldn't be that easy, you dunderhead." He began ruffling Harry's hair in annoyance.

"Dark Matter," Snape chanted.

The Gargoyle threw itself aside.

Harry followed Snape inside.

"Headmaster, this young man was in front of your office,"

"Yes, he's with me we're going shopping you see,"

Snape looked as if he swallowed something bad.

"Headmaster, if this is some kind of..."

"Let me assure you it is not, I simply wanted you to watch the school while I'm gone," Albus stated. "You see Minerva is attending her 10th annual chess tournament, Professor Flitwick has a death in the family and most of the professors are gone to vacation for the summer,"

"What about Potter?"

"Severus, you know he coaches Quidditch over the summer,"

"Quidditch?" Harry asked.

Snape turned towards Harry. "You're familiar with the sport?" Snape asked, lips curled in a sneer.

"Yeah, I played for a Quidditch team once, I was seeker," Harry replied.

"Fascinating,"

"Well, I don't want to be holding you up so we better get a move on," Albus stated, before Harry followed him out the door.

Once outside the gates of Hogwarts, Harry was filled with a sense of dread.

"Sir, do we have to apparate," Harry asked.

"I take it, it hasn't been a fun experience for you?" The old man seemed amused.

"It feels alot like going on a huge roller coaster ride,"

"Well, Harry if we had any other option I'd assure you we'd floo to Diagon Alley,"

In an instant, the two men vanished in thin air.

Harry would have crumpled to the floor if Dumbledore hadn't been holding him up.

"Now where should we go first?"

"Sir, I'd really like my wand back," Harry said.

"Yes, and it still should be here if memory serves," Albus entered in the local wand shop.

What startled Harry though as he followed Dumbledore inside was the room seemed to be completely empty.

"Where is everything?"

"Harry, surely you remember the events following your sixth year at Hogwarts."

"The place was ransacked, Olliviander was captured by Lord Voldemort,"

"Yes, similar events happened here as well, but Mr. Olliviander was prepared for the consequences thanks to a couple of familiar faces I'm sure," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Who?"

"I seem to recall about your wife, Mrs. Ginerva Weasley and your good friend, Luna Lovegood,"

"What do you mean?"

"Ever seen a Crumple-horned Snorkack?" Dumbledore asked, eyes twinkling madly.

Harry got the hidden message.

"So they write for the Quibbler,"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley is married in this universe as well," Albus explained. "I hear Mr. Creevey takes photographs for the Quibbler,"

Harry looked around the room, eager to explore every nit and cranny.

"Now I think what we are looking for is not before us, it is most certainly not above us. Merlin help us, it is logical what we are looking for must be below us,"

Albus flicked his wand, and a hidden door arose from the ground revealing a secret entrance.

Harry followed Dumbledore down the hidden passageway.

One thing Harry could remember the last time he had visited Ollivianders were the shelves filled to the brim with boxes of wands.

An old man with crooked glasses repaired by a piece of magi-tape stared their direction.

Harry instantly recognised the owner of the shop, Mr. Olliviander.

He squinted through his glasses. Judging by the broken lenses, Harry supposed that was the reason he removed them a second later.

"Oh, Long time no see," Olliviander said, "What can I get you today, Albus?"

"This fine gentlemen, needs a new wand,"

Olliviander looked the young man up and down, "Let me see what I can do,"

The old man turned and became lost in the shelves of wands.

Harry watched in familiar awe, as Olliviander took a box from one of the shelves.

"Try this one," Olliviander removed the lid from the box to unveil a thin cherry color stick.

Harry took the wand with amusement flicking the stick into the air causing a burst of white light to explode. Olliviander was thrown across the room, back clashing briefly to the wall.

"Definitely not that one," Olliviander chuckled, as he accepted the wand from Harry's grasp.

Mr. Olliviander left again, rummaging for wands.

After finding a wand made with the horn of a unicorn and the interior of a threstral hair, Harry swung causing a trail of flames spewing from the wand's wake.

"Uh sir, If I may make a suggestion," Harry said. "Try holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple,"

Olliviander looked at Harry in shock,"Curious, very curious," he said, before he went back to retrieve the wand.

He came back minutes later, a box blackened.

"This wand was sent to be destroyed just this morning it's lucky you came around, young sir,"

Olliviander opened the box, wincing. The box seemed to have been nearly burned to bits.

Harry took the wand feeling a familiar sense of comfort. He swung the wand experimentally.

The wand sparked.

"Wow, this is certainly interesting, I was sure this wand could only belong to the famed Harry Potter of the time,"

Albus turned to Harry, "May I explain,"

Harry nodded.

"Abel, this is Harry Potter," Albus explained.

Mr. Olliviander looked over the boy again.

"Truly, Dumbledore?" Abel Olliviander asked.

Albus looked at Harry and Harry understood as he lifted his hair from his forehead.

A lightning shaped scar was on his forehead.

It was much later, the two apparated to downtown London towards the local phonebooth. It was quite obvious to Harry they were headed towards the Ministry for Magic.

"Where are we going sir?" Harry asked Dumbledore.

"Harry, there really is no need to be so formal just call me Albus," Dumbledore said ending it with a smile. "We're going to the ministry to procure some paperwork, so you can become an apprentice,"

"Uh, sir, Albus?" Harry asked, the professor's name sounded strange on his tongue. "There is the matter of my name, can you keep it a secret?"

"Certainly, I'm sure it was quite overwhelming with the press on your back every second taking your picture for the Sunday funnies," Dumbledore said chuckling, looking smug.

The two walked into the Ministry of Magic.

Albus swiftly with ease began making turns every couple of seconds, passing the Department of Magical creatures.

Harry had to struggle to keep up, panting behind him.

"What's this?"

"Harry," Albus asked. "You mean to tell me, you have never been in the Department of Magical Job Search?"

"I never had the time," Harry explained. "I had only explored the Department of Mysteries during my fifth year after the Ministry became corrupt."

Albus opened the door, and stepped inside taking a seat at the desk that stood in the middle. Harry followed suit.

Spotting a bell on the table, Harry pushed with his palm on the button, the bell rang.

"It certainly is interesting...muggle technology," Dumbledore said with sudden interest, and Harry understood what he had been talking about.

Earlier, he must have heard him spill that bit about the passwords being muggle sweets. Of course, Dumbledore had also come across his fond memories of when such happier times had occurred. Harry wondered if Dumbledore had tried to give Snape a lemon drop here as he had tried to in his world.

A woman appeared.

"Angelina?" Harry exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"Hello, Mrs. Jordan, this young man would like to apply to become a teacher at our school," Dumbledore explained.

Mrs. Jordan took in the young man beside the headmaster. He was quite tall, almost exceeding Dumbledore's height, and if she didn't know better she would have sworn his eyes looked like those of her old potions professor.

"Oh, yes of course," Angelina turned on her feet, secretly sneaking peaks at the young man besides the headmaster.

"Here you go," She dropped the papers towards the front of the desk. She brought out her wand and waved it over the papers rummaging handlessly till it came across a paper with very little handwriting, and a thin black line towards the bottom of the paper.

"Sign here, after you've read the contract,"

Harry turned the paper around skimming through the papers, he had taught himself to read after he had left Hogwarts. Thus he could read almost as fast as the local Einstein. Harry however pretended to read more slowly, secretly panicking about revealing his identity so soon. Oh, how he hated publicity. He could just see it now.

"CONQUERER OF THE DARK LORD, HARRY POTTER HAS REVIVED,"

Harry shivered. He remembered at one point when his mother-in-law told him about her older twin brothers and when his godfather, Sirius Black would talk to him about his grandfather.

With shaky hands, Harry scrawled his alias on the contract.

It was later in the evening when Albus and Harry apparated outside of Hogwarts. Albus spelled the gates opened, and Harry made his way to the end of the hall. Albus headed the opposite direction towards his office.

In front of a wall that conceiled the Room of Requirement, Harry paced back in forth three times.

A door materialized before him and Harry entered imagining every inch of his new bedroom.

Once inside, Harry marveled at the fine room lined with polished multicolor stones with a fireplace that stood in the center of the room. Two red sofas and a small table were centred in front of the fireplace with a door on the right side. He remembered it was to lead to his bathroom. Harry finally looked down at his feet, the floor was lined with polished granite stones.

Harry made his way to the door on the left side after becoming acquainted with stairs knowing them to lead up to his new dormitory.

Once inside, Harry marveled at the way his room was arranged. The walls were a rose color, it was the color that reminded Harry of his mother. He had golden silk curtains. His bed, was piled with a quilted comforter. His pillow had a royal red pillowcase. He had two bedstands on either side of his bed. He figured he must have subconsciously made the bed king-size because of his wife, Ginny.

Who is now with Colin Creevey, a voice taunted.

"Oh, shut up," Harry snarled.

"I trust, it went well," Snape asked as Dumbledore pranced into his office.

A bursting red phoenix was knawing on a cuttlebone.

"Excellent," Dumbledore replied. " I trust you fed Fawkes,"

"The bird wouldn't stop squacking otherwise and quite frankily I have a headache," Snape's features contorted in disgust. "Well Dumbledore, if you don't need me for anything else I'll be going,"

"Actually Severus, there is something I need from you,"

"I've heard recently someone is going to quit there job here at Hogwarts and settle down with their family," Dumbledore explained.

"Who?" Severus asked curiously.

"Uh, someone on board the love boat..." Dumbledore teased, creating a heart with his fingers.

"Lily!" Snape was shocked.

"I've heard you've done well under Pomfrey's guidance, she's been teaching you the healing draft I trust,"

"Well quite frankly the potion requires a lot of quiet and concentration neither of which I have been able to accommodate."

"I'm sure you'll succeed, Severus," Dumbledore explained. "You'll need to take up Lily's position at the beginning of the school year after all,"

"WHAT?"

Harry Potter suspected a lot of time had passed as he cast a tempus spell indicating it was nearly the equivalent of dinnertime at Hogwarts. As if on cue, a grotesque creature suddenly appeared.

"Mr Prewett, Sir." Harry looked upon the house elf as it said this.

"What is it?"

"James and Lily Potter want to see you, Sir."

"I'll be down in a minute. What's your name by the way?"

The house elf's eyes widened before it trembled. "Botty."

"It's nice to meet you, Botty."

"James Potter, he says the same thing. He decided to name me after Mister Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans."

"Really?"

"James Potter hasn't been happy for a long time. He's happy Mr Prewett is here. Me hopes you'll be happy too."

"Thanks."

Harry beamed as he jumped from the side of his bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

In the Great Hall, Harry Potter discovered most of the professors seemed to have gone for the summer.

The Headmaster stood in the midst of the table with Professor McGonagall on his left side. The seat on Dumbledore's right side however remained empty. Harry could recall that was where Severus Snape had sat when he was potions master. Professor Flitwick, sat a seat away from Professor McGonagall. Besides the empty Potion Master's seat was James Potter looking absurdly arrogant at the Head Table.

Harry pondered where he could sit when a woman waved his direction. Harry drew close to the Gryffindor table, and sat down besides his mother.

"Oh, hi Harry,"

"Mum, it's Charlie,"

"I know, I know," Lily waved it off. "Named after your father's uncle no doubt,"

"Yeah, Sirius used to tell me about him," Harry replied. "Wait a minute, father's uncle?"

"James is the son of Henry Rowan Potter." Lily said.

"I didn't know that. Sirius told me that Henry was his uncle." Harry explained.

"I take it you were able to talk to your godfather, then. Well, I'm certainly glad you were allowed to meet him, Harry,"

"Well, he died at the end of my fifth year," Harry added grimly.

"Oh, Harry, that seems awful how did he die?"

"He fell through the Death Veil at the Department of Mysteries,"

Lily's eyes widened in shock, followed by silence. "Harry, how did you manage to uncover the Death Chambers in the Department of Mysteries,"

"Voldemort,"

The lucky students who happened to surround the table flinched at the Dark Lord's name.

Lily, the first to recover looked at Harry in horror. His grief seemed double of what they had gone through.

"Well, I'm certainly glad you survived," she said before turning towards her right. "Oh, yeah, there is someone I'd like you to meet,"

Harry looked at the person besides his mother. A young girl with long curly red hair held by a blue headband with blue eyes that reminded him of flowing water stared in his direction.

She reminded Harry vaguely of his best friend, Ron Weasley. The color of her eyes seemed vaguely familiar to him.

"Harry, this is Molly Weasley,"

"Who?" Harry asked.

"Molly, this is my son Harry. I'd prefer if you'd call him by his alias however, he isn't quite interested in the fame that has constantly surrounded his good name," Lily explained.

"How'd you prefer I call you?" Molly asked quietly.

"Do you happen to be Percy Weasley's daughter?" Harry popped in return.

"How'd you..."

"Let's just say we were acquaintances back in the day," Harry chided. "If you must know, I vaguely recall seeing that red hair and those speckled freckles on a former acquaintance of mine, I'm sure you have heard of Ron Weasley. Me and him were best mates in my world. He's your uncle right?"

"Yeah. My mother doesn't seem to like him that much."

"Audrey?" Harry asked. She had met Percy's wife after George had hooked up with Angelina. Apparently Percy had come to visit George to comfort him over the loss of their brother.

"No,"

"Not Audrey," His mother explained. "Her mother is Fleur Delacour. During the year of the Tri-Wizard tournament Percy helped Cedric retrieve Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle from the lake. She referred to him as his knight in shining armor. The two at some point began dating during Percy's sixth year."

"You can refer to me as Charlie...Charles Prewett. Can you keep my true identity a secret?"

"Of course, I will," Molly replied. "You have my word, Mr. Prewett, sir,"

"Mr. Prewett," Lily asked innocently attempting the name upon her lips. "I was wondering if you'd like to join Mr. Potter and I in our quarters after dinner,"

"Certainly, Mrs. Potter," Harry smiled, quite amused.

With that, after dinner was finished and most of the students had gone to their quarters, Lily lead Harry to top most floor of the castle.

"When we first decided to become Professors at Hogwarts, James wanted to be on the top most floor above all the action," Lily explained. "I'm sure as you've found out, James was quite a character back in the day. Often after dinner, he and his friends would parade the corridors at night. It was some point, James went to the uppermost part of the topmost tower finding a place to plan the night's events,"

Harry nodded focusing his attention solely on listening to Lily's turn of events.

"Anyways, James managed to convince the headmaster to place our quarters up here. The only person who has quarters up here is Aurora Sinistra and Merlin knows she needs the company,"

Lily brought out her wand from her hip holster, and swung it with a gesture.

A door was unconceiled from the wall before them.

Lily cast a quick alohomora spell and quickly took several steps back.

Just as he was wondering why his mother took a quick step back from the door, she finished casting the unlocking spell. Harry's musings were cut off as a huge amount of Bertie Bott's multi-flavoured fludge poured out from a bucket just above him covering him from head to toe.

"Oh, James," Lily fumed. It was the umpteenth time she had caught James pranking the door to their quarters.

Lily swished her wand and Harry was clean in an instant.

The amount of effort in pranking the door was so astounding that it wasn't shocking that an effort hadn't been used to keep anyone out. No one would dare enter in fear of the humiliation of getting pranked.

Fred had been right to place his pride and joy in the Marauders, that was definite. James had enough pranking to put the Weasley Wheezes out of business.

During their trek through the Potter's quarters, Lily had to perform many cleaning charms on Harry. Harry during this time had been observing the Potter's quarters.

Besides the amount of loose traps lined around the room that caught Harry every time they walked, he began to notice how technically complicated this room was. Lined with a railroad track that chugged across the planes of the wall, there was a tunnel above the room small enough for a mouse to crawl through.

On the far left side of the room was the fireplace. Through the large square window upon the left wall, Harry could see the Forbidden forest in the distance. Suddenly a noise brought his eyes above him. There was a small hole in the wall that Harry assumed lead to the attic of the castle, where a roped contraption which held a bucket came into the room. Inside the bucket was a fairly ugly creature.

Harry of course, recognised it as a house elf holding a bellows. The creature crawled from the bucket and rekindled the flames of the fireplace before heading back it's merrily way.

It was some point, Lily had stopped in front of a cabinet filled with books.

"Moony!" She chanted.

The bookshelf didn't budge.

"Why does he always change it?" Lily muttered quietly.

"Prongs," She chanted once more.

The bookshelf moved aside and Lily stepped inside. A bucket of brown ooze poured on her and Harry was shocked. Lily had been so good at dodging the traps but here she was outsmarted by his father.

"JAMES!"

"Ah, Lily there you are," James came into her line of sight clearly indifferent to the appearance of his wife.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Lily fumed.

"Oh Lily, it is only chocolate how much damage could that do to anyone?"

"I-I just did my hair this morning," Lily said looking exhausted.

James brought out his finger to trace her cheekbone catching some chocolate on his fingers before licking it.

"Harry, you should have some," James suggested.

Harry flushed, surely he didn't mean...

Lily caught on, "Don't encourage him,"

As Harry stepped into the room behind the bookshelf, he could only look in awe. Their room was lined in sheer walnut. A pair of red, green plaid curtains lined the windows tied back by black twine. The bed had a fine ruby quilt and the back wall in which it was leaned against had a stuffed deer sticking out of it. It had fine faded antlers. Harry looked down, and seen a pelt of a bear-like creature on the floor, which had marble white tile.

"Do you like?" James pulled Harry from his reverie. Harry nodded his head.

"We're coming in the main room, come on and join us,"

Harry let himself be lead into the main room. James cast "Revelio ab initio"

In an instant all the traps in the room vanished from existance returning on to itself.

The room now looked as homely as his room had been in the Room of Requirement.

"It's a spell that reverses time, an essence to before the spell was cast. It only works on objects however as that is only what most spells seem to effect," James explained.

Harry took a seat on a red leather sofa in front of the fireplace.

Lily soon joined them with a thick photo album in her hands.

"Ah, I remember this the family photo album," James chuckled.

Harry rummaged through the album with his parents. Soon he came across a photo of himself. He was naked in a bathtub holding a yellow rubber duck; every so often the picture-Harry would squeeze the toy or splash around happily. Harry raised in eyebrow.

'I'll have to remember not to bring anyone to meet my parents. Please tell me no one ever visits you?' Harry's inner dialogue charted sarcastically. He had never before had to deal with what most children did- the propensity of parents to keep the most embarrassing pictures of their offspring possible and display them in very public places.

As he put the photograph down Harry caught sight of another. A photograph of Sirius Black and James Potter, on the day of the wedding. It was one of the only pictures, Harry had in his universe. He stared at the picture of his godfather sadly, oblivious to the whisperings of his parents at the other side of the room. When he heard the floo activate and someone step through, he acted on impulse and stunned them.

A man with long curly black hair flecked with gray hit the floor in an instant.

"Harry, release him," Lily gasped.

Harry removed the spell and said sheepishly, "Oops, old habits are hard to break. Sorry."

James walked over to the fallen man's side, and held out his hand. Once to his feet, Harry instantly recognised the friendly blue eyes of his godfather.

"Sirius?"

"I'm sorry do I know you?" Sirius asked dusting himself off.

"Sirius!" Harry ran straight into his godfather's arms nearly taking his breath away.

"James, what's going on?"

"This is my son, Harry...Harry Potter,"

"Harry?" Sirius was gobsmacked. "As in your son Harry?"

They nodded.

"How? He died, didn't he?"

Harry took pity on his godfather. The man never had done confused well.

"Yes, that much I'm certain. However Albus suspects somewhere in a different universe, our son survived and was brought here through an unlikely turn of events." James explained.

"I was banished here, Albus suspects it had to do with some sort of mirror. The glass shattered and pulled me in to this alternate universe," Harry continued. "In my reality I survived the killing curse, but my parents didn't."

Harry pulled the fringe away from his forehead revealing the ghastly lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"This scar marks me as the only person to have ever survived Avada Kedava,"

Sirius looked at the young man in newfound awe as Harry did likewise, Sirius looked quite different from what he remembered. This man was easily more recognisable as the elder version of his father's best man. His face which Harry always remembered carried it's share of fine scars and fine black bags underneath his cerulean blue eyes, were gone replaced with a young face with impish child-like blue eyes that held a giddy wonder.

Harry was incredibly happy to see his family looking so well. All the favorable marauders were here, except Moony. He had been looking forward to seeing him that evening since Sirius came as well though it would be later that evening that he'd find out there was absolutely no way Remus could come.

"Alternate Universe?" Sirius finally asked, cautiously.

"It's true, you've seen it for yourself. He is our son. Harry is back." James informed his friend.

Sirius' face lit up suddenly, "Harry!" The man ruffled his godson's hair.

"Oh, Sirius, stop, stop, oh please Sirius," Harry attempted to swat his godfather's hands away.

"Oh, Harry, I'm just teasing," Sirius chuckled, but quit the gesture.

"Amazing...so neither of your parents were alive in your universe?" Sirius asked curiously.

"They both died a year after I was born, the night of Halloween," Harry replied.

"Did I raise you then?" His godfather inquired. If Lily and James were dead then surely he would have taken Baby Harry in.

"No, you didn't. I only met you when I was thirteen. You spent twelve years in Azkaban, an innocent man for the murder of Peter Pettigrew," Harry explained. "Everyone believed you betrayed my parents that you served Lord Voldemort,"

Sirius went pale, "Murder? Betrayal?"

"No one knew the Secret Keeper had been changed to Peter Pettigrew. You were arrested the same day for killing the rat in the middle of a crowd of muggles. Of course you didn't actually kill him. He cut off his finger and set you up while he escaped in his animagus form. You escaped Azkaban as Padfoot in my third year and came to Hogwarts to finally kill Pettigrew after seeing a picture of him in the Daily Prophet on my best friend's shoulder."

Harry explained briefly about Malfoy and the Ministry, Lupin's place as the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Snape's suspicions of Lupin harboring a wanted criminal inside the castle, time-turners, hippogriffs, and Lupin's lycanthropy.

"It happened quite differently here," Sirius explained.

"Poor Petey, was caught by your dear friend, Padfoot here. When Pettigrew escaped from Azkaban, Ol' Snivellus tried to inform me of Lupin's betrayal saying a good friend helped sneak Pettigrew inside the castle," James chided. "Unfortunately for him, Lupin had been discussing plans of confronting him in the shrieking shack."

"We confronted him the end of that year," Sirius continued.

"Mr. Ron Weasley was taken by surprise when our good friend, Padfoot dragged him in to the shrieking shack. Ol' Petey was shivering in his fur," James chuckled.

"Unfortunately, it was Snivellus' rotten intervention that made the plan backfire." Sirius explained. "The Ministry got involved and Remus was nearly kissed by dementors. By the beginning of the following year, the Ministry illegalized magic use for Werewolves causing the Department of Magical Creatures to intervene,"

The air was filled with tension and Lily sensed that a change of subject was needed.

"Harry, would you like something to drink?" She offered.

"Tea is fine, though I'd prefer butterbeer anyday," Harry replied.

James chuckled at that.

"What about you, Padfoot?" Lily asked Sirius.

"I'd like a butterbeer too, if you don't mind," Sirius smirked.

Lily muttered to herself, she could understand Harry who seemed uniquely unaware of known wizarding beverages but was there a need to deal with such a bunch of silly dunderheads as Prongs and Padfoot.

Lily soon came back with a casket of butterbeer and Harry took a bottle from the rig.

"So what do you plan on doing while you're here?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Well, I can't very well become an auror like I was in my world," Harry replied. "Albus says I don't have an academic record here, I'll have to earn my teaching credentials so I can become a teacher,"

"Impressive," Sirius stroked his chin in wonder. "You must have been a fine auror,"

"But there is always room to improve," Harry stated simply.

"So Harry, who did you become acquainted with in your world," James asked.

"I became best friends with Ron Weasley on the Hogwarts Express first year. Hermione Granger became our best friend that Halloween after..." He trailed off with a fond smile.

"After..." Sirius prompted.

"After we rescued her from a troll that had been let into the school. That year, Professor Quirrell was our Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. He was possessed by Lord Voldemort to obtain the Philosopher's stone,"

The three adults flinched minutely at "Voldemort" Harry noticed angrily. "For Merlin's sake you're not afraid of his name here are you? He's been gone for nearly twenty years hasn't he?"

"Many do still call him, "You Know Who" but others do call him by his name. We only flinch because saying his name brings back the memory of what he took from us." James replied taking another swig of his butterbear.

"Now you were saying something about a troll?" Lily asked incredulously on the brink of shock and doubt.

Harry nodded. "Professor Quirrell was well-aquainted with trolls. I was told that he had eventually learned the language enough to influence the tribe's direction," Harry explained. "Anyway, Hermione wasn't in the Great Hall when Albus ordered us to our dormitories; Ron had been quite nasty to her earlier so she retreated to the Girl's bathroom. Unfortunately we accidentally locked the troll along with her. We couldn't just leave her there, so we ran back to get her. Between me and Ron, we managed to knock it out. I climbed atop the troll's back, and Ron used Wingardium Leviosa to knock out the troll using it's club. By the time it was done and over with Professor McGonagall awarded our house with five points, the other ten we earned had been taken away because of our careless manner however by the end of it all we gained the friendship of our dearest friend, Hermione,"

"Dear Merlin." His mother had gone white while the two men seemed to look quite impressed.

"Wow. A troll at eleven and you thought we've done it all, Prongs," Sirius snorted James' direction.

"Yeah McGonagall called it, "Sheer dumb luck,"

"I'll say," Lily muttered under her breath. Suddenly she was very glad that she had not been there while her son had grown up. No doubt she would have died of heart failure before now. Albus had informed her of the Dursley's abuse and while Petunia as much as despised her now, she wished at the very least that Petunia had treated her son a little bit better than she did. Oh, if only she had been there...

"Your first year at Hogwarts sounds far more interesting than ours," James commented jokingly.

"You have no idea." Despite their entries he refused to expand on his comment. Obviously he wasn't going to tell them how he nearly died confronting Professor Quirrell near the end of that year. How Lord Voldemort through Professor Quirrell attempted to use him as a guinea pig in order to obtain the philosopher's stone within the Mirror of Erised.

Harry took a quick swig of butterbeer, humming in pleasure as the liquid tickled his throat.

"So you never did tell me, what you three do for a living?" Harry asked.

"Harry, surely you know Albus mentioned I coach Quidditch," James explained. "There are nearly thousands of wizards who attend Hogwarts during the beginning of the term. Nearly half of them want to join the Quidditch team,"

Harry stood flabbergasted. 'Did he say thousands? Even in my universe, at a school as big as Hogwarts there was only several hundreds.' Harry thought.

"What about the house teams?" Harry asked the question that began to formulate in his mind.

"Ever since that incident following your demise, the school's population has been expanding," James explained. "We had enough students to form a World Quidditch team so we dropped the house teams and formed one team. We are called the Hogwarts Draconians, Malfoy came up with the name though I was reluctant," James flashed a mischievious smile. "I see you play Quidditch, too,"

"I was a seeker for Gryffindor for six and a half years." Harry informed them humbly.

"Six and a half?" Lily asked.

"Professor Umbridge banned me in my fifth year. I was reinstated the following year after the incident involving a cruciatus curse and a bunch of angry centaurs. She had it in for me. Hateful toad."

"She is a Ministry employee under Fudge." Lily informed him. Her tone implied that she didn't like the woman either.

"She was in my universe as well. Fudge wanted more control over Hogwarts, so he employed Umbridge as the new DADA professor during my fifth year. She had us doing theory all year. Then she had the nerve to declare herself Hogwarts High Inquisitor," Harry omitted telling his parents of her sadistic punishment to his left hand. He had enough scars under his wing without causing his parents unneccessary worry about his current well-being. Harry absently ran his fingers over the 'I will not tell lies' scar over the top surface of his left hand. "Luckily she was sacked by the end of the year."

Lily noticed the small gesture but kept it to herself.

"Oh, and I became in auror," Sirius pointed out.

"Part time," James added chuckling.

"I hear he hooked up with Rita Skeeter," James whispered to Harry so Sirius could hear.

Sirius flushed red.

"Isn't she ten years older than him?" Harry spat out in surprise.

"Didn't I ever tell you I have a thing for the cougars?"

Harry laughed.

"Oh and I used to teach potions at Hogwarts," Lily said. "I told Albus however I wanted to retire for a while, let someone else take the job,"

"I wonder who is going to take over your job, I certainly wouldn't mind if it was Professor Slughorn, Lord knows when I had potions with Snape he'd do everything in his power to make certain that I fail,"

"Snape was potions master?" James and Sirius asked incredulously.

"Yeah, he was quite famous in my universe, for being quite a nasty teacher," Harry replied nastily.

"That's impossible, even in your universe he manages to convince the headmaster to teach here,"

"What does Snape teach here?" Harry asked, eager to change the topic. If his father even got hold of the information as to why Snape truly switched sides, he didn't know how he'd react.

"He is currently apprenticed as a medi-wizard under Madam Pomfrey," James explained.

It was long after their lengthy conversation that Harry soon realized what time it was beginning to be.

Lily seemed to have read his mind.

"Um...boys, I think Harry needs some rest. He's starting his job tomorrow morning," Lily chided in.

With that Harry got up gave a quick hug to Sirius and left the room.

Once in his bedroom, Harry got prepared to take a shower. Earlier that day after getting his wand back from Olliviander's. Albus insisted they go shopping to buy him some new clothes.

"Black battle robes are not fashionable," Albus had insisted. Harry had to agree there but did they have to buy out the whole store.

Harry got a white long sleeved shirt, a black tie, a pair of golden trousers and a red waistcoat and placed them on the chair he put beside his bed and headed towards the bathroom with his pajamas. He pushed the shower curtain aside and turned on the water. After removing his clothes he stepped in, taking in the lukewarm water against his skin.

Thinking among today's events he wondered how tomorrow would be.

After some thirty odd minutes, Harry stepped out of the shower, a towel around his waist as he put on his nightclothes.

After Harry was satisfied with his attire, he brushed his teeth and rinsed his mouth with mouthwash wishing to leave a favorable impression the next morning.

He went to bed after casting an alarm spell with a flick of his wand, grateful to see his parents alive and well.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A loud noise echoed through his bedroom. Harry somehow landed on the floor beside his bed. Irritably he seemed to figure out it was from the alarm spell that was cast to wake him up in the morning. Quickly Harry canceled the spell and cast the tempus spell, if he remembered properly he would guess it was about this time the early birds flooded the Great Hall eagerly awaiting their breakfast.

Harry undressed, slinked in to his trousers, slipped in to his white shirt which he soon buttoned to the top and pulled on the red waistcoat which he buttoned in the middle. Then with a flick of the wand he slipped the tie around his neck tightening it till it formed a knot.

Harry then sat down, and shimmied into some black socks and carefully placed his new black shiny shoes on his feet.

Without hesitation he walked out of his quarters minutes later and headed to the Great Hall to eat much needed breakfast.

Once in the Great Hall, his presence was graced by Severus Snape who sat on the left side of him at the Head table.

Apparently Albus wasn't much of an early bird. Harry had never noticed. He supposed it was because he had always been focusing on the war with Lord Voldemort.

Professor McGonagall stood a seat away. Her head however was turned towards Professor Flitwick, who seemed awfully grim about something. Harry supposed Albus must have been genuine when he said Professor Flitwick had a death in the family.

Harry summoned some poached eggs on to his plate, when he was younger he had preferred scrambled eggs but his tastes had changed long after the war. Several strips of bacon also joined his eggs on his small plate. Harry also summoned a fine glass of orange juice eager for something to wash it all down.

It was during this time, Harry could feel Snape's eyes upon him. Harry turned slowly, fearing the sneer or the look of disgust on his professor's face.

Instead what Harry found shocked him even more, his former professor looked at him with curiousity.

Curiousity? What was the world coming to? Severus Snape never looked at Harry with curiousity. He had seen him look at him in disgust, hatred, malice but never curiousity.

Harry nervously began picking at his food. He really couldn't eat if Snape continued pinning his eyes on his form every couple of seconds.

Finally the intensity drew away and Harry knew Snape was no longer looking in his direction.

An owl swooped down and dropped a piece of parchment at Harry's feet.

Harry opened the scroll.

"Harry~

Professor Longbottom needs your assistance in Herbology class this afternoon. He'll be expecting you after breakfast

~Albus

Harry quickly engulfed his food, making Snape turn his direction looking at him as if he were both the most interesting yet the most disgusting person on the planet.

He marched up to the greenhouses outside of campus.

He was greeted by a man with blonde hair and bright eyes that looked unnaturally giddy and his face was scratched and torn apart. He was wearing a white apron covered with splotches of green residue, yellow gunk and violet stains.

In his hands was an omnious plant that looked like it was about to hunt it's prey, it reminded Harry of a Venus flytrap.

"Ah Charlie, the name's Neville Longbottom it is a pleasure to meet you," Neville held out his hand towards Harry.

Yeah it certainly had been a long time for Harry, the two hardly seen each other since after he'd defeated Lord Voldemort. Neville had continued his schooling eventually becoming Herbology Professor succeeding Professor Sprout.

Harry during that time, had been alternating between his job as an auror and picking Ginny up from Quidditch practice. She had joined the Holyhead Harpies her seventh year after being recruited on the field.

"Charlie I need you to accumulate pus from the Bubotuber plant," Neville explained.

Harry got to work. The thing about a Bubotuber plant though was the vines were hallow and over an inch thick. A simple mistake on the planter and their life would be engulfed inside the monstrous plant.

Harry saw the tall plants in a distant room sealed by the glass door. It was still connected to the green house but isolated from the other plants.

Harry reluctantly entered the room after pulling a pair of white gloves upon his hands.

The large vines began to stalk the loosened soil as Harry stepped in.

In an instant, Harry pounced upon the plant.

After the startling revelation from Albus Dumbledore yesterday, Snape hadn't been able to sleep at nights. Certainly he was glad to finally get a decent job working for Pomfrey certainly hadn't been fun.

But it had been worth it, just to see Lily's smiling face again. After her son Harry had died that night on the 31st of October, Snape had wondered when she would finally forgive herself after what happened that night.

He certainly regretted he hadn't been able to save her son that night. That was one of the reasons he had wanted to become a healer in the first place.

But now, Dumbledore had asked him to be the new potions master. Snape had long forgotten the smell of potion fumes engulfing the air, the way his hair used to feel after remaining after class to finish a potion. He longed to rediscover his one true passion for potion making.

Snape had awoken bright and early that morning, he was an early riser by nature. It had been beaten into him by his father. If he hadn't awoken from his slumber in time, there had been a chance he would have been trampled on and stomped upon.

It had been one of his mother's regrets that she couldn't find a better place for her son. Her family lineage which had once been pureblood, had been tainted when she enveloped with a muggle man. No it hadn't been Tobias, it had been another man at her work. Eileen had told Snape what happened on her death bed. Claude...Claude Addams was his true father, perhaps he'd have been more mean than Tobias himself.

Certainly though, Snape couldn't imagine anything worse than being belted by his own father or trampled upon by his own father even having a beer bottle thrown his way. Tobias hadn't been his father but certainly he had done these things to him.

He still had the scars on the back of his head where glass was embedded. His mother had tried several healing spells before she had taken him to St. Mungos to remove the glass. Madam Pomfrey at the time had worked there an apprentice to Dily's daughter, Gladys.

Beside his bed was his high collared black robes. He quickly changed out of his nightshirt and slipped into his robes before heading out the door neglecting to take a shower. There was really no need for personal hygiene. It certainly didn't make you respectable from where he was from.

It was nearly noon by the time Harry had finally finished gathering bubotuber pus from all the plants and walked up to Neville.

"Now I need you to take these vials to Professor Snape,"

"Where?" Harry asked.

"He's located in the Dungeons,"

Harry paled, so ol' Snape got his job back. He would have to pay him a visit from the bottom of his heart.

As Harry exited the green house, he walked beyond the great doors at the front of the castle.

In the halls, he headed down the infinite moving stairs heading down towards the darkness where he knew the dungeons would be.

Severus Snape at this point was in his new classroom, lips furled in disgust. According to the lesson plan, the class was supposed to be learning how to make a potion to cure acne.

Unfortunately Lily had yet to restock the main ingredient, bubotuber pus and of course once it was accumulated it had to be properly processed in order to uncover it's acne-curing properties.

Suddenly there was a knocking at the door of the dungeons. Snape hesitated but the knock was loud and insistant.

'Who is it, now?' Severus fumed silently before walking quickly to the door.

The instant that he opened the door, a man fell forward. Instinctively Snape held his arms out catching the man. However the vials of bubotuber pus in the man's hands shattered at his feet.

In several minutes, the pus burned through his shoes and boils began to form on Snape's hands and face. He closed his eyes and took a step back in pain as he rubbed at his swollen eyes. The side effects of unprocessed bubotuber pus, unfortunately was atrocious red boils that spread along your body the moment it touched your skin.

"I-I'm so sorry," Harry gasped and held out a hand towards Snape.

"Leave me," Snape replied pathetically.

"What?" Harry wondered stupidly.

"JUST LEAVE ME," Snape cried out in humiliation.

"But you're hurt," Harry reached out to Snape's arm.

Snape flinched. However in a moment of bravery, Harry grasped firmly on his arm placing it over his shoulders.

"At the very least, let me take you to the hospital wing," Harry said respectfully.

It however had been quite troublesome, dragging Snape to the hospital wing. He had given Harry quite the impression that he disliked the hospital wing as he struggled against Harry's hold on his arm.

Once the duo walked into the hospital wing, Poppy was on Harry in seconds.

"Again, I swear you ought to let me tre-," Poppy made a grab for Harry's arm.

Harry brushed her off, "Professor Snape has been doused in bubotuber pus,"

In an instant, Poppy's face cooled. She brought out her wand and with a quick flick across Snape's body. She turned to leave the room.

"Set him down on the bed," Poppy stated, before Harry could hear the sounds of a cabinet opening.

She returned with a vial in her hands. Snape at the present time however was in a state of unconsciousness as Poppy told him to administer the potion through his lips.

Harry made a grab for the vial and as gentle as he could brought the liquid to his lips. An unconscious Snape, Harry noted was much easier to deal with.

"So how are you doing?" Poppy asked, Harry knew she wondered about his injuries.

"I'm fine,"

"Amazing, in all under a week," Poppy was awed. "The headmaster informed me of your current situation, you know he wouldn't be able to get it past me,"

"I see,"

"It's only a matter of time before the wizarding world is aware of your presence, Mr. Prewett,"

"I know," Harry sighed. "But why not enjoy the freedom while I have it,"

After a while, Poppy began to notice however that Harry never left Snape's bedside.

"Isn't there somewhere you ought to be, Mr. Prewett," Poppy asked.

"Professor Longbottom, sent me to deliver some bubotuber pus to Professor Snape," Harry explained.

"I think I heard about that, Lily told me how she needed to restock of bubotuber pus for a potions assignment in her class," Poppy said, before bringing her wrist up to her face.

Harry saw unlike most of the wizards, that Madam Pomfrey was wearing a wrist watch.

"Since you have graced us with your presence Mr. Potter, I think Professor Snape is up for a next round of potions,"

/Within the lurking darkness, he remembered silent pleas for help. A man with a hooked nose sat upon a leather sofa, a bottle of rum in his right hand, dragging toward the floor. The man tossed a bottle his way, and suddenly there was a light at the corner of his vision./

A young silhouette was coming into view. At closer inspection, the features that stood out were messy black hair, a brawny face, and a tall silhouette.

'Potter?'

It was sudden, a hand was invading his personal space. His hands were instantly locked on the stranger's wrists.

Harry gasped at the hand that grasped his wrist, he had been trying to administer the second round of potions.

Snape's eyes slowly opened. Harry yanked the bottle away from within Snape's arm reach.

"Potter...get away from me," the man rasped.

Harry's eyes widened there was absolutely no way that Snape knew his true identity, he was certain he had kept it quite silent. Unless...

"SEVERUS SNAPE, LET GO OF HIM THIS INSTANT!" Poppy fumed.

Snape seemed to ignore her and slightly irritated with the stubborn fool, Poppy wrapped her fingers around Snape's wrist and wrenched his hand away from Harry's. He couldn't help but wince, as Snape's fingers clawed across his flesh.

Poppy made a grab towards the potion in Harry's hands and brought it to Snape's lips.

"Severus, take your potion this instant,"

Snape's face contorted into a grimace and it looked like he formed a stance of outright defense.

"Charlie, I need you to hold him down," In an instant, Harry made a grab at his wrists.

"Get off, get off of me," Snape gasped, as a warm body lay against his own causing him to flinch.

Poppy brought the vial to his lips. Now that Harry had gotten a good look at the contents of the vial, he could recognise the blue fluid trickling down Snape's throat as a calming draught.

It was merely deduction that Harry induced that Poppy had expected Snape to awake, not long after he had administered the antidote. Based on his prior behavior, Harry suspected it was because Snape hadn't always been the best patient under Madam Pomfrey's care.

In an instant, Snape had finally became aware of his surroundings. The calming draught had obviously taken affect.

Before him was not James Potter, that much Snape was certain of.

While James Potter hadn't been the one who had brought him to the hospital wing. The man in his place looked much like him, the only features that distinguished him as his own person was his full cheeks and strangely lit eyes. He tried to recall how he landed in the hospital wing in the first place.

He vaguely remembered there was a knock at the front door of his potions lab and the moment he answered it, the young man had tripped and fallen at his feet.

Yellow liquid had seeped into his robes and he felt the boils form across his face. He looked in disgust at his hands.

Certainly the man wasn't James Potter, but it didn't stop the humiliation from sinking in.

"What have you done?" Snape asked in a low voice, anger radiating off him in waves.

"I am deeply sorry, sir,"

"Sorry? SORRY, you have wasted a valuable effort in gathering the simplest of potions ingredients," Snape explained.

"I-I,"

"Clearly, it was a mistake on the headmaster's part to allow you to study amongst your fellow collegues," He spat. "You are so clumsy, Longbottom would outdo you,"

Apparently things hadn't changed much, in both worlds Neville still feared Professor Snape as much as he did in Harry's third year at Hogwarts.

Harry knew he shouldn't have been feeling so angry, but the professor while thankfully in the flesh was as much of a jerk as he had been when Harry was younger.

"I AM NOT CLUMSY," Harry fumed as he grabbed Snape's collar, all too eager to punch him.

Apparently the ruckus wasn't unheard, as Albus Dumbledore entered the room.

Harry's fist was just about to collide with Snape's jaw, until a pair of sturdy hands pulled him back. Poppy recollected Severus Snape as Harry turned to face Dumbledore.

Harry noticed the old man's eyes twinkled brightly and he couldn't help but wonder what had brought it on.

"Poppy, what seems to be the problem?"

"Oh I don't know, one moment I was administering a calming draught to Mr. Snape here. The next instant the two men began to launch at each other's throat." Poppy sighed clearly flabbergasted. "These two are as bad as Snape and James on a good day,"

Harry couldn't help but wonder how the two acted on a bad day.

"Don't compare our fight with my fights with Potter," Snape added quite indignantly.

"You really do know how to pick them don't you, Severus," Albus added quite jokingly.

Snape's face turned a delicious shade of red. "Never in my life-"

"Now now Albus, there is no need to bother the patients,"

"I suppose you are right however I am slightly concerned on your part, Mr. Prewett," Albus explained. "While I never knew Mr. Potter to become so violent. Your behavior seems to be a complete 360 around Severus and I am quite concerned about this animosity amongst the two of you. I'd think it in our best interest if you were to be an assistant to our new potions master, what do you think, Severus?"

"It is irrelevant," Snape simply stated. "No matter, what I say you'll have a round about way of going about it anyhow,"

"And isn't it convienient, that the new term begins in a couple of weeks," Albus said his eyes twinkling.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Nearly two months later spending his free time doing some small tasks for Professors Flitwick and McGonagall after the end of the summer term, Harry was looking forward to meeting the first year students in the Great Hall in line to be sorted by the Sorting Hat.

Harry had once been in that position of sheer nervousness, wondering whether he'd be sorted in Gryffindor or sorted into Slytherin.

The Sorting Hat had stated he clearly had the ambition to pursue a chance in Slytherin house, but it was the rumoured evils that surrounded the house that made Harry avoid the likely temptation.

Now as Harry woke up instantly as his alarm went off, he pondered to himself why he had never been one of those people who took a few minutes in the morning to remember things. He always remembered instantly much to his consternation so he knew exactly the when, the how and the why from the second he opened his eyes to take in the bedroom he was now residing in.

The wizard stumbled into the bathroom and quickly took a shower. He had to be in the dungeons in half an hour.

He readied himself in his red waistcoat and black trousers, now freshly dry cleaned straight from the dry cleaners. He slipped the waistcoat over his long white button up shirt before placing his shiny black shoes over the soles of his feet.

Harry set off for the dungeons, eager to leave a favorable first impression for his potions master by arriving a couple of minutes earlier than expected. He knew from experience that Snape was never one who could abide tardiness. He had been to enough detentions during his school years to know that.

After knocking on the door he heard the ever so familiar voice call out, "Enter." in that silky baritone.

Harry silently prayed for no more than a simple friendship with the man. He didn't think he could handle it, if his potions professor began to mock him and compare him to his father.

He opened the door and stepped in breathing in the air layered with indefinable potions ingredients. "Good morning, sir,"

"No, this is unexceptable," a quiet voice murmured over a simmering cauldron.

Snape's attention was directed at the potion he was stirring.

"Uh, sir?"

"if you are to be my assistant for the duration of the school year, you must call me by my given name,"

"Why?"

"This is not a bonding of master and apprentice, it is bonding of colleagues with common interests, a companionship of sorts," Snape explained. "Of course I'll expect the same courtesy my way, I am well aware you haven't properly introduced yourself to me,"

"Uh...Charles...Charles Prewett," Harry replied.

"Well it is very nice to meet you, Mr. Charles Prewett," Snape said in a tone which implied to Harry that he didn't heartily mean it as he firmly grasped his reluctant hand.

"Charlie, actually, I'd prefer to be called Charlie,"

"And I am quite sure you already know my name, however I'd prefer not to be called by any nickname that suits your fancy,"

"Now Mr. Prewett, need I help you process the bubotuber pus I stocked off of Mr. Longbottom or can you work by yourself?"

Harry immediately went to work. A weird contraption was bolted to a nearby desk. Logically it seemed plausible that the pus be poured through the small hole at the top of the contraption. Harry assumed was where the processed pus would come out of the nozzle on the bottom of the contraption. There seemed to be a big enough spot to wedge a small cauldron under the desk, so it seemed quite logical as he was in a potion's class for the pus to be poured into a small cauldron.

He dumped the vials a bubotuber pus through the small hole and the machine began to shake and stir. It seemed to strain at the bottom where the nozzle was at.

The liquid seemed to be squeezed dry from the machine as it oozed out of the nozzle.

It was then Harry realised that the machine must have been used to extract the water from the pus, like a bee's coven does to make honey. It was coming out awfully slow though...Harry turned the handle at the side, rolling it until the liquid began to come out fluidly. It began to gather at the bottom of the small cauldron. By the time it was done and Harry was satisfied with the progress, he checked over the machine to see if there was any off button somewhere.

However just as he spotted the off button, it suddenly stopped.

Harry lifted the cauldron to the top of a long table at the end of the classroom, and was about to stir the liquid with a long wooden spoon, when suddenly a cool body crept behind him making him shiver uncomfortably.

Hands were upon his own, directing his movements counter-clockwise. Instantly Harry knew who it was. Only one presence could seem so hauntingly familiar, odor disturbingly horrid with robes that made him itchy, if the long fingers weren't a dead give away. It was the doom known as Severus Snape.

"I should have known the moment you encounter a cauldron you'd go about making an amateur's mistake," Snape murmured along Harry's ear, making him shiver.

"What do you mean, Sir-" Harry started to ask before he seen Snape's face. It was his 'I won't tolerate any cheek' expression, but he was certain he had addressed Snape correctly. He called him sir...but wait a minute, he had specifically told Harry to call him by his first name.

"-I mean, Severus," Harry bit out.

Snape's eyebrows raised in amusement. "You were going to stir the cauldron clockwise were you not?"

"Yes...but how did y-"

"You were holding the wooden spoon towards the right of you," Snape stated his observations. "You must stir the cauldron counter-clockwise three times to smooth out the rough edges,"

"Oh," Harry sighed.

"You were not very good at potions, I gather?" Severus cocked an eyebrow Harry's direction.

Harry turned to look at Snape's face, and was startled to see his eyes twinkling in...amusement.

"I'm not what you would call Outstanding, but I've managed at the very least to scrap an E on my owls." Harry added defiantly.

"So I take it, that potions aren't your worst subject,"

Harry's eyes lit up. "If you want to know the truth, my worst subject was divination,"

Snape snorted. "Well I think I can take this from here, Charlie. Wouldn't want my assistant to die of starvation," he muttered sarcastically.

Harry grumbled before heading out of the room.

"And I expect you to be back, before the beginning of my next class," Snape drawled before Harry shut the door.

In the great hall, Professor McGonagall strode in the midst of the 4 long tables, hundreds of first year students trailing behind. The sorting hat stood on the chair in the midst of the room.

"Jennifer Boot," Minerva called out the first name of her list.

A springy young girl with round glasses made her way to the sorting hat. "Ravenclaw,"

Harry Potter spotting his mother sitting at Gryffindor table, decided to set next to her after avoiding her for the past several weeks. She was at Gryffindor table talking with Molly Weasley. Apparently she was in her third year at Hogwarts.

"Jia Chang," A girl with brown skin and long silky black hair made her way to the sorting hat. "Gryffindor,"

"Dennis Creevey," A tall boy with orange hair, a freckled face and brown eyes walked up towards the hat. Harry stared a gape at Ginny's chocolate brown eyes displayed through her son's and felt a wash of homesickness.

"Gryffindor,"

"Thomas Fetch-Finchey," A short boy with ruffled dark hair soon followed.

"Hufflepuff,"

"Patrick Finnagan," a boy with short red hair and gray eyes made her way to the sorting hat.

"Gryffindor," the sorting hat chirped.

"Scorpius Malfoy," A young boy walked to the hat with blonde hair combed from his gray eyes, they glistened mischieviously.

"Slytherin,"

"Candice Nott," A young girl with a tall stature and long brown hair stood towards the sorting hat.

"Slytherin,"

"Will Thomas,"

"Gryffindor,"

"Rose Weasley," Harry's eyes perked up at that, a young girl freckled with brown eyes and long curly honey blonde hair waltzed to the chair with a calm air.

"Ravenclaw,"

"Rose is uncle Ron's daughter," Molly explained.

"Hermione's daughter?" Harry asked.

Lily seemed to be reading his thoughts. "Ron went out with Susan in their sixth year," She explained. "Surely you know Susan Bones, her mother used to work in the ministry before she died at the beginnings of her sixth year."

Harry seemed to ponder something.

"Charlie, is there something on your mind?" Lily asked.

"I was thinking about when I went to Hogwarts, I suppose it becomes clear as to why things happened the way they did," Harry explained.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Ron and Hermione, you and Snape," Harry replied.

"Snape? What does Snape have to do with anything?" Lily retorted.

Harry stood silently pondering whether it would be pushing it to tell Lily what he had witnessed after obtaining Snape's memories from his dying body.

"Tell me, Charlie,"

"Ron and Hermione were together in my world, I admit he has never really struck me as a good guy and he may have been a jerk to her from time to time but they stuck it out in my world. I suppose now that I think about it, perhaps it was my presence that kept it from becoming too unbearable for either of them," Harry rambled. "Though I am quite unsure as to why Ron went out with Susan in his sixth year, he isn't exactly Susan's type y'know,"

"Charlie," Lily explained. "In the middle of his fifth year, Ron's father was killed by deatheaters,"

"Impossible, the only injury his father obtained was the nasty bite he received from Nagini," Harry explained. "And he recovered from that,"

"But Voldemort was never resurrected in his fourth year, Charlie," Lily explained. "And by the beginning of your fourth year most of the death eaters were freed from Azkaban. It's just lucky that Lord Voldemort hasn't risen again or we'd be doomed."

Harry's tongue was silenced. He had been just about to tell his mother of the horcruxes but then he began to think of all the people who had died for his cause. There was absolutely no telling his mother unless he was sure that Lord Voldemort had no horcruxes stowed away.

"Speaking of which what's this issue with Snape, hmm...your father never talks about him unless he has to," Lily frowned.

Harry flushed with embarrassment, Lily seemed to key on that and she smiled.

It'd probably catch her off guard, if he was found to be flushing over explaining Snape's relationship with her.

"I wasn't sure whether I should tell my father about this," Harry explained. "When I was in the Forest of Dean, did I mention ever seeing a patronus?"

Lily shook her head, "No, you didn't," She sighed glumly.

"It was a doe," Harry explained. "It was later, when I found out whose it was,"

"Whose was it, Charlie," Lily asked, seeming to dread whatever Harry was going to say.

"It was Snape's" Harry replied. "It was then I realized how he ultimately contributed to our victory,"

Lily seemed to ponder something.

"He died near the end," Harry explained. "Or at least I thought he did,"

"That sounds like something, Severus would do," Lily replied bitterly. "I'm sure in the end he'll hardly ever forgive my actions,"

"But it almost seemed like he loved you," Harry explained.

"I don't know what he told you, Charlie but Severus Snape never loved me," Lily explained. "You must understand Snape was a dark wizard, Charlie and he was Slytherin. He's a master of manipulation, if I was dead in your world it would be his greatest regret that he himself didn't exact revenge for all the 'bad' choices I've done,"

Harry nodded.

"But how would you be able to assume otherwise," Harry added in quietly.

"The person, Snape loves isn't me. He may tell himself that but I believe the only reason he joined the side of the light was because he feels it's his fault that my son had died," Lily said. "Snape has got over his attraction years ago, Charlie. The only feelings he has for me are those of a lingering obsession,"

"So was what Tonks felt for Remus, was that also obsession?"

Lily's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about? Tonks never went with Remus, he could possibly be the child's father for Merlin's sake," Lily took the time to look up at Harry's expression which conveyed a blank mask, what one uses to conceal emotions threatening to leak through. "No, Tonks is with George, George Weasley and it's not like I have a thing against it but in this world the two were mere aquaintances. She was going out with Bill Weasley til he died near the beginning of the sixth year. He was nearly ripped to shreds by Greyback, Ginny was devastated,"

At that she caught her son's face turning red, startled for some apparent reason turning a vile shade of green. Was that regret in his eyes, what could he have possibly regreted?

All Harry could remember was when he was at the burrow. At the beginnings of his sixth year, he remember Ginny mocking Bill's fiance, Fleur Delacour. Often her and Hermione would refer to her as Phlegm behind her back, Ginny had shown blatant refusal in Bill's taste in women, she had preferred Bill set up with Tonks, unaware of her attraction to one of his father's best friends.

Now he could only feel remorse that Ginny had to experience the deaths of her father and brother.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After breakfast in the Great Hall, Harry glumly made his way back to the dungeons where he was certain Snape was waiting all too happily.

Harry knocked on the wooden door that separated him from the dungeons.

"You may enter,"

Harry reluctantly stepped inside.

"Our first class is fifth year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs," Snape explained. "You'll wait here until they come in. I'll be by the door to permit them entrance,"

Harry made his way to a desk. "You will touch NOTHING," Snape turned to snarl at Harry.

Harry jumped in reflex and he thought Snape was hardly a scare. This Snape had scared the wits out of him.

"So what do you want me to do?" Harry asked.

"Nothing too complicated, just a simple boil reducing potion. If you could walk around the class and observe them I'd be grateful," Snape replied silently.

"Of course, no problem," Harry stated firmly.

It was some time later, he heard the shoes clatter against the hard wooden floors of the Great Hall.

With this he could only assume a bunch of fifth years stood outside Snape's door.

Soon the students began streaming in, the last one popped in just as the bell rang. Harry surveyed the class. The students sat mutually alongside each other, there was no fine line separating the Hufflepuffs from the Ravenclaws like the Gryffindors and the Slytherins.

Snape stood and strode out from behind his desk to take roll before setting straight to work.

"Well then, shall we see just how much you have managed to forget during the summer? Turn to page 113 in your books-"

"Uh, Sir,"

"What is it, Mr. Davies," Snape asked.

"Whose that man over there," The teen pointed towards Harry's direction.

"That is my assistant, Mr. Charles Prewett, you will treat him with the up-most respect," Snape said smirking before chiding in. "Unless he gives you reason to do otherwise,"

"Where's Professor Potter?" A girl asked, she looked slightly like Cho Chang in her fifth year. Must have been her older daughter, Jia had been sorted in her first year after all.

As she asked the question, Harry pondered on his conversation with his mother earlier at the table. What did she mean, about Snape's concerned feelings towards her? Was it only a means of repressed revenge for Lily going out with James?

"She's taking a break to settle down with her family," Snape spat. "In the future you will address me as 'sir' or you'll recieve detention this Saturday with Hagrid,"

And suddenly Harry understood, the way he talked of her upon his lips. It was utter revulsion and he had been stupid to think otherwise.

Harry turned to fume at Snape after a cauldron exploded covering his face with brown ooze, "I thought this was supposed to be a simple boil reducing potion,"

"So I lied," Snape smirked. "You have to be always on your toes, I can't expect you to learn if the answers are always given to you on a silver platter and as you should be aware their is no boil-reducing potion," He flicked his wand in a quick gesture and Harry was clean.

"It's called the boil cure potion," Harry chided in.

"A side effect of this concoction no doubt. Mr. Diggory, it appears you've created the world's first mind-sharpening potion that will be 5 points from Hufflepuff for neglecting to follow instructions,"

Harry couldn't help it this time he looked up, sure enough the exact replica of Cedric Diggory in his prime. Apparently Cedric had survived his encounter with his utter demise, his son acted like an exact replica of Neville Longbottom.

Harry looked over another cauldron, clearly in the cauldron was a fluffy green mass of what he realized to be the appearance of scurvy-grass, an ingredient used in a confusing and befuddlement draught potion. He had studied the ingredients and their effects during his fifth year at Hogwarts.

Now that he realised what kind of potion they were actually doing he found himself becoming more of an assistant.

Apparently the effect of boiling the lovage before adding the scurvy-grass caused the inner layer of the plant which was usually a dark brown color to seep in the potion and instead of it's orange color which is a result of adding the sneezewort first and then adding the lovage, it turned a muddy brown.

By the time, Harry got around to assisting everyone class was over.

"Hey Severus, is it alright if I go to the Headmaster's office. I need to talk to him about something," Harry asked.

"It is irrelevant what I have to say, all I ask is you show up in five minutes before the next class,"

"Of course," Harry said before leaving.

At the edge of the Great Hall, Harry stood before the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office, avoiding the company of the children gathered in their small groups talking amongst one another.

Harry listed names of supposed relevance to present times hoping to come up with a password. He supposed it was sometime around this time that Snape had realised he had sent a dunderhead to solve the headmaster's password.

He had startled Harry with his presence. His teeth were clinched together, causing him to look like his lips were cinched in fury however his eyes were lit in amusement.

"Sherbert lemon,"

Harry nearly tumbled to the ground in shock. Snape grabbed him by the arm before he fell face first into the ground.

"He-he changed his password again," Harry stood shocked.

"You've inspired him, I would call myself proud," Snape replied impassively. "Now all his passwords will possibly contain every imaginable muggle sweet,"

The door opened and Harry went inside greeted by the headmaster sitting at his desk.

He turned and saw Snape had already gone about his merry way.

"Charlie, can you please close the door?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry shut the door.

"Have a seat,"

Harry took a seat.

"I've told you I'd inform you if I made any progress correct?"

"-Yes, sir," Harry grinned excitedly.

"Well, I've told Professor Sinistra about your situation and she wants to help,"

"The astronomy teacher?" Harry asked.

"Believe it or not, Harry, it is believed Astronomy and time travel are inner related," Dumbledore said. "People once harboured the belief that black holes can transport someone anywhere through time and space. Many wizards have went missing trying to test this theory."

"Missing?"

"At first many of us believed them to have been murdered," Albus explained. "but some of us are unsure primarily me and Professor Sinistra believe it may have something to do with their research of time and space,"

"But you told me yourself that time travel is illegal, and the ministry has strict guidelines," Harry stated.

"Harry, I believe you are mistaken. In this universe, time travel has been legalised since the equivalent of your fifth year," Dumbledore's eyes lit. "I am even shocked to witness the unforgivables were still illegalised in your world as they once were here,"

Harry's eyes widened.

"It seems your widely aware of the usage of such dark magic and the reprecussions," Albus said apologetically. "There is also very dark magic capable of sending people through time..."

"Wh-"

"Every book of dark arts imaginable could be easily accessible to any Wizard in the Wizarding world," Dumbledore added grimly. " I'll have Aurora owl call you at dinner time,"

Harry walked uncomfortably out of the office, legs shook with anxiety.

He wondered if this all wouldn't have violent reprecussions in the end.

With five minutes to spare, Harry made his way to the dungeons and Snape laid out several items on the counter.

" As you are well-aware, I have been informed by the headmaster that you've skipped out on your NEWT exams so I can only assume you've never attended your seventh year," Snape said quietly. "The headmaster merely wishes you to observe for the duration of the period, I'll be teaching the upper sixth year students how to brew Veritaserum as it is the requirement on a NEWT exam,"

Harry took a seat near the front of the room, sitting where he had sat with Gryffindor in a past potions class and observed the ingredients laid out on the counter.

Minutes later, several students hopped in. Even with the school population doubled twice as much as when Harry attended, he noticed only a few students had walked in. Perhaps they had been informed of the new potions teacher.

"Turn to page 90 in your books," Snape said. "I trust you are all here, we will be start by brewing veritaserum. The ingredients are on the board."

Minutes passed as students began to gather ingredients. Harry instantly recognized most of the potions ingredients from the confusing and befuddlement draught. Scurvy-grass, Sneezewort, lovage...and was that frozen ashwinder eggs? Wasn't that used for love potions? And Valerian roots...that was used in the Draught of Living death. Some feather from an unknown creature stood on the counter as well. Harry later found them to be jobberknoll feathers. Powdered moonstone and syrup of hellebore were ingredients found in the draught of peace. Several golden flowers were among the ingredients as well.

No wonder it was never taught in his sixth year, it was more complex than any other potions he had ever brewed.

He began to observe as the students combined their ingredients, Snape had walked around the classroom observing their progress.

Thinking back to his fifth year when he was under interrogation by Umbridge, didn't Snape say Veritaserum took a full-moon cycle to brew?

As Snape passed his way, Harry grabbed hold of the back of his robes. "Uh, Sir,"

Snape raised his eyebrows as he looked at the hands that grasped his robes.

Harry flushed instantly releasing him.

"I was wondering, why are ashwinder eggs used in Veritaserum? And what are those golden flowers by the moonstone?" Harry pointed at the counter.

"The effects of Ashwinder eggs is to strengthen the effects of any potion, though it has a nasty side effect of producing nausea and severe dizziness in most cases," Snape explained. "But you ought to know that if you were paying attention to any of your potions classes,"

Harry's eyes narrowed at the comment but Snape continued.

"Those flowers are picked on the night of the prior to the beginning of the next moon cycle, it is why the students will need to wait after an entire moon cycle for the potion to be complete," Snape sneered in disgust.

Harry's eyes however glistened in the aftermath of his curiousity.

Released for lunch, Harry went to the Great Hall for lunch. Albus Dumbledore looked directly at him, eyes sparkling with welcome. All the tables surrounding him seemed full. The Slytherins narrowed their haughty eyes at him, the Gryffindors looked at him pitifully, and the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs stared at him pensively.

Dumbledore got up from his seat and conjured a chair next to his seat. That was when Harry understood. Albus wanted Harry to sit at the staff table.

Harry took a deep breath and walked to the long table.

"I saw you had nowhere to sit and was wondering if you could join us at the staff table," Albus explained.

Harry's eyes lit up in excitement over his newly obtained power. He took a seat next to Dumbledore just Severus Snape walked through the front doors of the great hall. Harry gulped as he was now fully aware just where Snape was supposed to be seated. Snape would probably think Harry had taken his seat.

"Why, Severus, how good of you to join us," Albus said merrily when Snape was at the staff table.

"Amusing Dumbledore, really," Snape sneered. "Just where am I supposed to sit,"

"Now Severus, has it really escaped your notice," Albus asked. "I have conjured a seat for our new potions apprentice, whose seated between us,"

Snape's face turned deadly pale. "I can't ever seem to get rid of you, can I," Snape said turning towards Harry.

Harry instantly turned to analyse Dumbledore's expression. It was clearly amusement.

As Albus made way to take a loaf of shepherd's pie from the baking dish. An owl flew across the staff table and a scroll of parchment landed on the table in front of Harry.

Harry took the parchment and unrolled it, skimming through the words coming to a realization it was from Professor Sinistra.

Dear Charlie,

I have heard of your struggle from Professor Dumbledore. Together I believe we can find a way to get you back home. Meet me in the Astronomy tower at Midnight.

Sincerely

Aurora Sinistra.

After lunch, Harry accompanied Snape to the dungeons. Once they arrived in the classroom, Snape told him to go in the storage cupboards and fetch the leech juice.

Snape gathered some daisy roots to set on the table, and skinned shrivelfig. He brought up a jar containing large leaves upon thin branches. Among these leaves and branches, were small caterpillars.

Harry came out with several vials of leech juice and walked back to the cupboard to fetch some rat spleens from the cupboard. He returned minutes later with the rat spleens and set them on the desk.

"Charlie, you may bring the students inside," Snape said under his breath.

Harry made his way outside the dungeons where several students stood there waiting. He instantly recognised Molly Weasley amongst the students.

In conclusion, Harry realised that for the first time today that they'd be teaching Gryffindor and Slytherin potions.

Once the students made their way into the dungeons, Snape told him that they were supposed to be learning shrinking solutions today.

'Third year curriculum,' Harry thought to himself.

As soon as they were seated, Snape gave brief introductions along with instructions and the third years set off to work.

It was soon apparent however that the lack of thorough instruction had greatly effected the work of many of the third years.

After many of the students had chopped up their daisy roots before placing them into their cauldrons, many had to start over. Apparently Snape had forgotten to mention that it was very important the daisy roots be chopped evenly before they were used.

However Molly Weasley who seemed to pay extra attention to detail probably a result of visits with her grandparents was among the only people to avoid starting over.

She had added her rat spleens before administering leech juice to her brew. Then added the skinned shrivelfig and sliced catepillar.

Apparently it wasn't enough that Molly was sharpest in her class as when Harry had his back turned, a Slytherin had added a live catepillar to her brew.

It began to smoke and fizz until it turned purple.

Harry smelt something rotten and vile. In attempt to fix it, Harry added more daisy roots and shrivelfig to even out the effects, but his efforts seemed to have made it worse.

Snape seemed to finally have a clue at what was going on and ran to the station.

"Miss Weasley, wh-" Snape said, his expression going from indifferent to one of panic and worry.

The potion at that moment decided to explode. Harry pushed Molly down to the ground.

Snape shrieked in pain and Harry looked up. The potion had stained him, covered him in omniscent purple goo.

It seemed to seep in his skin as he flailed on the floor.

Harry crept toward the body and tilted it's head up. Snape was unconscious.

He then got up to excuse the class and everyone left the classroom.

Molly though, remained.

She stood by Snape's body sobbing quietly, tears sliding down her cheeks.

When Harry turned to attend to Snape, his body began to convulse. Snape's body seemed to be shrinking.

Oh, this was bad.

"Molly, I need you to get Madam Pomfrey, now," Harry told the frantic girl and no more words needed to be said. Molly got to her feet and ran out of the classroom.

Harry hugged Snape's body close and set his head down on his lap to steady him as he convulsed.

Several minutes later, Madam Pomfrey arrived besides Albus Dumbledore. She looked shocked at the body, Harry was embracing.

She knelt before Harry, waving her wand across Snape's body, her expression contorted to one of deep concentration.

She turned towards Dumbledore, "He has been deaged headmaster, the effect of the potion on his body however is unknown. I suggest we take him to St. Mungos for a medical evaluation,"

"Alright," Dumbledore nodded. "Charlie, you'll wish to accompany him won't you,"

"Yes, it's my fault after all," Harry sighed.

"Nonsense," Madam Pomfrey replied. "Molly said that her potion had turned a deep purple. The concoction on his face is a lighter violet colour."

Harry nodded.

"Whatever you did, you've seemed to negate most of the poisonous effects the potion would have caused if it retained it's deep purple color which is a result from adding live catepillars to the brew," She explained.

"I'll have Dilys inform the healers at St. Mungos of their new patient," Albus replied.

"Please do,"

It was during the fourth class of the day that Charles Prewett was with Severus Snape on the first floor of the magical hospital. The floor where people were taken in when they were targeted by unremovable curses and hexes and fired miscompleted charms and spells which backfired upon themselves.

Healer Lancelot had run a diagnostic on Snape and left to analyse the results.

Harry's mind completely clear of no animosity or like for the body before him began to leer over it.

He looked over the pale skin which smelled dangerously sweet. A comforting sweet that made Harry feel ill at ease.

He looked down at Snape's hands, the fingers were long and thin. Harry wondered his hand would feel like. Would it be warm or cold?

Harry wanted something cool, the room was filled with an uncomfortable warmth and the sweet odor made his nose very itchy.

He grasped onto Snape's hands and they felt cool and soft against his hands and he opened up the palm and analysed the markings of Snape's hands.

Harry didn't know when he fell asleep but the moment he awoke, he was startled by a loud noise. He instantly released Snape's hand from his own as the sliding door opened and James and Lily Potter sat next to him.

"Ah, Charlie," Lily said. "Albus said you'd be over here,"

"But what are you doing here with Snivellus," James asked.

"Dumbledore told me to come with him," Harry replied.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Charlie," James said. "Snape could be very dangerous,"

"Now James stop that right now" Lily retorted angrily.

"What it's true," James turned to reply to his wife, who still was fuming.

"Now "James" I must insist you stop such tomfoolery or I might be forced to hex you," A voice said soft and scratchy, low and dangerous.

James spun around to face Snape. Snape's expression was one of sheer amusement. James stood shocked agape, when he realised Snape contained none of his previous wrinkles on his face and his bald spot diminished from his forehead. He also was alerted to a young sounding voice, deep like it was previously but not tarnished with old age. It was almost pleasant to hear Snape talking.

"What Severus? Afraid I might expose you for who you truly are?" James taunted. "If I remember properly wasn't it you, who told Lord Voldemort about the prophesy. You never did tell me how you fooled Dumbledore into believing you were on our side,"

"It is not your concern," Snape replied huffily and turned to look at Harry, seeming to carefully scrutinise his expression.

Harry saw this and turned away, facing his father's direction.

"Why I remember during our marauding days, you were so insecure," James replied haughtily. "I seem to recall, when you weren't able to shag Lily, you snagged a local death eater. Rabastan Lestrange, was it?"

"SHUT UP!" Snape fumed blushing profoundly.

It was then the healer returned with the results from the check up.

"Mr. Snape, we have confirmed the diagnostic," He explained. "According to the brain scan reflecting the age of your brain, you have permanently been regressed to the age of 21. Congratulations..."

Snape's face turned even redder at the news and James and Lily tactfully left the company of their son and their worst enemy.

Later Albus came by to visit. He told Harry that Professor Sinistra specifically had left her floo open so he could visit. Harry didn't hesitate to smile in his direction.

So he had flooed in, minutes before midnight, to see a young woman with hair tied up in a bun. Aurora, he assumed was waiting by the telescope looking through the glass.

She turned once and analysed the young man before her. "You're Mr. Potter I assume,"

Harry nodded, before looking around.

He noticed a movement on the corner of his eye. Harry turned, there was a glass box holding a black cat with green eyes staring at him.

Aurora followed his gaze. "That is Schrodinger,"

Harry stared at her questionably.

"Your mother let me borrow her cat for future purposes,"

"My mother had a cat?"

Aurora gave Harry a hard glance. "It would be safe to assume under similar circumstances he died when Lord Voldemort attacked you and parents correct?"

"I suppose so, that must be the same cat that I almost crashed into when I was trying out the broom Sirius gave me when I was a baby before he was imprisoned in Azkaban,"

"It certainly is mysterious, Schrodinger has been with your mother for over 40 years now," Aurora replied.

Harry nodded.

"I was trying to figure out how one would travel to alternate universes and it was then I picked up this book on mysterious occurances in muggle history. Apparently some time ago, some muggles went missing flying over the Bermuda Triangle. No one had any explanation why until Hector Rogers from Terrortours did some investigating. There was a hole...a hole in space as it were,"

"A hole in space,"

"Not just that, one could travel through these dimensional holes to different times... to different places. I have an old aquaintance who is an unspeakable from the Department of Mysteries, he told me they had set up a compartment in the time room where they placed their discovery. They had discovered that the dimensional holes had been trapped into magical mirrors."

"So that's it, we just have to find the right dimensional then I'm out of here?"

"Not exactly, when one travels through these dimensional holes there is a 50% mortality rate and an even greater probability that you won't even land in the correct dimension," Aurora explained. "It is a probability that can't be calculated even by wizards,"

"How do you know this?"

"Hector completed a series of experiments before being arrested and taken to Azkaban for the murders of several wizards. You see after these wizards went through the holes, after a while they began to simply vanish..."

It was then Harry had thought about something.

"I think I might have slipped through a magical mirror, when I was captured in Borgin and Burkes."

"That sounds like the kind of place something like that would located in. I take it in your world the Ministry doesn't hold any magical mirrors in their time room?" Aurora inquired.

"No, during my fifth year we succeeded in demolishing most of the rooms within the Department of Mysteries. The Time Room only housed shelves of Time turners."

"Well, there's always the way you entered. I figured Schrodinger would travel through these portals so to speak in search of the correct dimension and all he would have to do afterwards is travel back to our universe. There are numbers on his collar each hole has a calculated dimensional base, the rate at which that universe expands and the length of that universe. It's all based on Hector's previous research,"

"You said there was a mortality rate, what if Schrodinger dies?" Harry asked.

"If he commits Quantum suicide?"

Harry cast her a look of confusion.

"There are over a million dimensions remarkably similar, parallels as it were. If he dies here, odds are he is bound to survive in a similar universe and odds are if he doesn't make it to the designated world there will be one universe in which he does," Aurora explained.

"Oh, I see,"

"Well I think it's best you get a good night sleep, Harry. We'll continue this tomorrow at midnight," Aurora said, her voice warm and motherly.

Now Harry after heading towards his room boarded in the room of requirement had a restless sleep before he had headed to the Great Hall the next day.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After being released from the hospital, it had grown awkward between Snape and Harry.

Harry's head began to hurt as he began to analyse every one of Snape's actions towards him.

Did Snape find him attractive at all?

Was he gay?

Would he hit on him?

Over time, Harry had grown edgy. A number of times, he and Snape had brushed hands. The gesture caused him to flush in embarrassment or at least that was all he'd admit to.

He didn't want to admit that Snape's hands perhaps felt a bit too comfortable brushing against his own.

For breakfast, plates of sausages and hard-boiled eggs sat on the table unroosted.

Harry and Snape had been reaching for the exact same sausage and Harry had flinched as their hands brushed in disgust.

It got worse when Harry had made his way to the dungeons.

Harry had been assisting a third year hufflepuff on their ageing draught, when Snape's body had hovered behind him.

His hands covered Harry's own, making a warm feeling travel down his navel. Harry shivered against the comforting coolness. Snape's hands felt familiar against his own.

What was happening to him?

By the end of the second class, Harry was shivering in mortification. Amongst their time together, Harry found himself mesmerised by Snape's voice which sounded much younger and velvety unlike his older self and he'd began to imagine Snape kissing him in various reveries.

While at one time he had found Snape's features unattractive, it was strangely twisted how he found the hooked nose seemed to fit his pale features. It was so mesmerising the way his lips would contort into a smirk that he no longer payed any attention to the yellow teeth.

Never mind that Snape's hair was a tad too greasy and unwashed, he liked it when it framed his features all too nicely.

As he left Snape's classroom, his heart quickened at the revelation of his infatuation.

It had been quite unlucky for him, when Snape had followed him to the seat. Harry was fuming in annoyance, when his lunch became interrupted by cool hands brushing his own. He felt as if he were about to burst.

At the corner of his mind, he had almost thought someone was trying to get his attention. Just as he was about to place some chips on his plate. Cool hands encircled his own.

"Charlie? Charlie, I have been trying to get your attention for the last several minutes," A cool velvety voice said. "Are you alright?"

Harry flushed, when he realised who hand had clasped his own and he moved his hand away.

"Keep your hands to yourself," Harry turned and gave Snape an icy glare.

Snape apparently was quite startled by the gesture. Everyone in the Great Hall was looking their direction. At some point Snape had come to realise that, flushing in embarrassment before getting up from his seat and turning to leave the Great Hall.

After lunch, as Harry walked into the dungeons he noted that Snape seemed quite furious.

"Sir, what would you like me to do?" Harry asked.

"As much as it pains me to have you as my assistant, you are here to work are you not?" Snape replied nastily. "And it hasn't escaped my notice how filthy this classroom is beginning to be, thanks to someone's pitiful attempts in aiding the students,"

Harry flushed in anger.

"It would be a great pleasure if you'd clean the classroom for today," Snape said not very pleasurably. "No spells and no magic. Everything you'll need is in the closet,"

Harry saw Snape's fingers pointing towards the right of the classroom, and Harry opened the door greeted by a bucket, and a broom.

'Wonderful' Harry sighed.

Harry began to sweep the floors, before filling the bucket with waters and disappearing to the back of the room.

Attempting to keep his mind off things, he began to clean the back counters as students began to march inside.

The students were sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins, Harry noted. He had a feeling things were going to get worse.

"Welcome, as you could see my assistant is cleaning the counters for the timebeing I'd tell you to leave him to his work but then that would be acknowledging that I give a crap," Snape sneered.

Harry attempted to ignore him. "Sodding prat," He murmured under his breath.

By the end of class Harry was grateful to go to lunch. He wanted to take a break from that looming bat.

After classes with Snape which at one point were actually enjoyable, had become nearly unbearable. It was lucky after his classes with Snape that he had met with James at Hogsmeade. The classes with Snape which at one point became enjoyable were now nearly unbearable and his parents had decided to invite him for dinner, once again.

So nearing dinner time, Harry began to walk up the ever moving stairs to the topmost floor of the school. He nearly ran into someone focused solely on meeting with the Potters.

"Sorry,"

"It's alright," a feminine voice murmured.

Harry found the voice disturbingly familiar as he brought her to her feet.

The woman with tanned skin and sleek black hair, and her voice. It was Cho Chang's best friend, Marietta Edgecombe.

"Do you work here?" Harry asked.

The woman was startled by the question and cautiously looked Harry up and down.

"I teach Defence Against the Dark Arts," She replied.

"Really?" Harry asked wondering what convinced Dumbledore to have Marietta teach at Hogwarts.

Her feats were rather questionable, she had aided in disassembling Dumbledore's army during their fifth year which sole purpose was to teach Defence Against The Dark Arts.

"You should come by sometime tomorrow and aid my class,"

"Ok, I'll think about it. I'll have to owl Snape though," Harry replied on a parting note.

Once Harry made his way to the Potter's quarters, he murmured the password to the door.

"Marauders,"

The door opened and Harry braced himself for a second impact with Bertie Bott's Multi-Flavoured Fludge, but nothing happened and the quarters didn't seem boobie-trapped like last time. Instead he was greeted with his parents surrounding the fireplace.

"Mum? Dad?" He looked their way questionably.

"We're flooing to the Potter Manor," James explained. "You want to see Remus don't you?"

Harry's eyes lit up in excitement.

James tossed up some floo powder.

"Potter Manor," he said before stepping through the flames.

Soon Harry and Lily followed not to long afterwards.

As he landed nearly face down on the floor, a strong hand picked him off the floor.

"Sirius!" Harry embraced his godfather.

"You finally managed to get a break, Padfoot?" James asked, chuckling heartily before patting his best friend on the shoulder.

"Between Rufus and Rita, I don't know whose worse," Sirius replied rubbing his eyebrows in frustration.

"Rufus is the minister of magic?" Harry inquired.

"No he's Head of the Auror Department, why?"

"Oh, just double-checking."

"Where's Remus by the way, he said he'd meet us by the fireplace." Sirius asked.

"I am right here," A familiar voice groaned in agony.

Harry's ears perked up. "Remus!"

The man's eyes widened. Indeed wasn't he a sight for sore eyes, his appearance hadn't seemed to change much from when Harry last saw him.

There was still the scratches along his face where Fenrir Grayback had bitten him. The flecks of gray hair on the side of his young face. Harry was awfully glad to see him.

"Harry?" Remus scrutinised the young man before him carefully.

"Hey, Remus," Harry ran to embrace the man.

"Sirius told me you'd be coming," Remus said, and Harry stepped back and noticed his sincere smile. "he informed me of your situation,"

Remus led Harry to the kitchen. Harry marveled at the crystal chandilier above him. "Kooky fixed the meals," Remus told Lily.

"Don't have Miss Granger hear you say that," Lily pouted.

"I don't think she'll have the time, she works for the Wizengamot. I hear she's been promoted to WARLOCK," Remus replied. "Besides I've paid Kooky a good amount, 10 galleons buys a lot in the Wizarding world,"

Once Harry sat at the table, he marveled at the appearance of the food set out on his plate.

"So I've heard I have taught Defence against the Dark Arts during your third year, how was it," Remus asked as Harry took a bite of his food.

"We fought a boggart in the staff's wardrobe," Harry chuckled.

"What's so funny about that?" Sirius asked. Remus frowned.

"Neville's boggart...it turned into Severus Snape," Harry explained.

Remus seemed to catch on, and began to chuckle. "Let me guess, Neville managed to dress Ol' Severus in Augusta's clothing,"

"How did you know that?" Harry asked.

Sirius looked from Harry to Remus as if he were missing something.

"Neville told me he had several encounters with Severus in the hospital wing," Remus explained.

"Oh, I see," Harry sighed.

"Though it's quite amusing, Severus dressed in drag,"

With that Sirius began to laugh so hard, his sides began to hurt. James however frowned, expression fraught with worry.

"It worries me though," James explained. "You don't have feelings for Snape do you?"

"NO-" Harry caught off guard said rather too quickly. "I mean no I don't, I'm straight,"

Harry turned to see Lily's expression, apparently she wasn't all that convinced of what Harry couldn't be sure.

"Good," James said before standing to his feet and walking out. "I'll be right back,"

The trio seemed just as puzzled by his actions as Harry was.

"Anyways, what else did I teach you," Remus asked clearly amused, though at what Harry only could wonder.

"You taught me the Patronus Charm, it was very effective against the dementors. I practised using a boggart," Harry explained.

"Your boggart turns into a dementor?" Sirius inquired.

"Yeah, what does your boggart turn into?" Harry asked in return.

"That's a secret." Sirius replied, looking the direction where his father had left sadly.

"What's your patronus look like," Lily asked curiously.

"It's a stag," Harry replied quite excitedly.

"That's your father's patronus," Lily murmured.

"OOOOOh, OOOOOh," A voice groaned.

Harry was taken aback, who and how did...wait a minute, wasn't the invisibility cloak?

Lily's hands moved to grasp something in the middle of the air, removing a piece of cloth.

Was that the invisibility cloak or a simple disillusionment charm?

"JAMES POTTER!" Lily scolded. "How many times do I have to tell you..."

"Harry, I wanted to give this to you," James explained, now clearly visible. "I wanted to give it to my son before he died...but now I wish to give it to you,"

Harry flushed. "Uh...thanks, dad,"

"Hey Prongs, did you know Harry's patronus turns into a stag?"

"His father's boy all the way." James said before ruffling Harry's hair.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It was nearly midnight when Harry flooed in. It was rather lucky the Potter's quarters were right next to Professor Sinistra's. Just as Harry popped out of their quarters, he saw Professor Vector walking towards the Astronomy tower and he joined her.

"Aurora owled me at lunch, requesting my assistance with her project," Septima explained. "You seemed to have a lot on your mind though has Severus been giving you a hard time?"

"No, it was just something on my mind," Harry said flushing.

"What's that in your hands by the way," Septima asked.

Harry looked down, he got caught. "It's an invisibility cloak,"

"Did James give that to you?" She asked.

"Yeah, he planned on giving it to his son before he died." Harry said sadly.

"Oh, that's very sweet of him to give it to you, Charlie," Septima gave Harry a reassuring pat.

At some point the two of them arrived at a portrait near the top of the castle.

Septima murmured the password. "Galileo,"

The door flew open. Sinistra was snapping a collar around Schrodinger's neck. The cat writhed uncomfortably.

"For Merlin's sake, hold still," Aurora said clearly frustrated.

"Oh be nice, Aurora, it's just a cat," Septima teased lightly.

"But if he continues to resist, how will we be able to make the proper calculations,"

"What's that?" Harry asked pointing to the contraption around the cat's neck.

"It's a revised version of the Clarischronocope, it measures time and space," Aurora explained, as she removed her hands from the cat's collar.

Harry saw the collar was omniscent. It looked alot like the night sky. A round violet crystal was stuck out of it. Various numbers swirled.

"Hector used a similar invention during his experiments," Aurora said after Harry said no further comment. "We'll have to floo to the Ministry, hold on Charlie,"

Harry grabbed onto Aurora's wrist.

The two landed in the midst of London, Harry stumbled against Aurora. "I take it you are not into apparating much?" She asked amusingly.

"Well, let's just say don't invite me on a roller coaster anytime soon," Harry frowned grudgingly.

The two made their way to the Ministry. "I take it from what you've told me that you know where the Department of Mysteries is?" Aurora asked curiously.

Harry nodded frowning silently.

"Was it not the best experience for you?"

"I lost a friend there," Harry replied sadly.

"Well, luckily we aren't heading to the Death Chambers today," Aurora stated. "We need to go to the Time Room and access their net of Magical Mirrors,"

Harry looked up and for the first time discovered Schrodinger wrapped in her arms.

Aurora walked to the front desk. "I need to see an unspeakable to take me to the department of mysteries,"

"Be with you in a minute, miss," The man at the front desk replied.

Harry looking around at the ministry for magic in awe stumbled against a man with dark hair and blue eyes.

"Excuse me," the man replied rudely, making his way towards Professor Sinistra. "You wished to go to the Department of Mysteries."

"Yes, me and my assistant," Aurora scooped Harry out of thin air. "We need access to the time room,"

"Peculiar," the man murmured softly. "Nice to meet you, Mr...?"

"Prewett." Harry answered shortly.

"Mr. Prewett. Any relation to the Weasleys?" The man enquired jovially, seeming unpreturbed by Harry's short answers.

"No, I never did get your name," Harry enquired in return.

"You may call me Steven...Steven McCloud," The man replied kindly before casting a blinding charm leading Harry and Aurora to the Department of Mysteries.

Once in the room, Steven vanished leaving Aurora and Harry alone. Schrodinger struggling against the Professor's hold was loosened so she was only grabbing him below the arms.

Finally giving up she released the cat who landed on all fours.

Harry looked around the room in awe, even this room was different than his universe.

The time room was very large. Several shelves contained time turners. The two of them had been walking between them.

Near the end of the room, lined against the walls as the room seemed to become thinner, was dome shaped frames. Each containing a black mass containing literally a part of the universe.

Nearing portal number 1, Aurora picked up Schrodinger from behind her. The cat had avoided any of the domes sensing danger beyond. Schrodinger was pushed into the first portal and vanished.

A fraction of a second later, a black cat with orange flecks came walking out of portal 9. Harry picked up the cat and stroked it's fur. In which it butted it's head against Harry's palm.

Several numbers were imprinted 156545077196 upon the collar. An x2 was seen within the violet crystal.

"The last universe Schrodinger traveled is several months into the future," Aurora said over his shoulder. "The numbers I imprinted on Schrodinger's collar were 156000000000, because it's my belief that the universe you came from is the exact same size as our universe at this point, though the growth rates are different. We need a consistent number we should try it again,"

And that's what Harry and Sinistra did for the majority of the night.

Late in the night Harry had entered his room, walked across the invisible door three times. He climbed the stairs, diving on his bed.

Man, the entire day had been so exhausting. He could see it now, Snape giving him a pill tomorrow morning. There was no doubt that he had humiliated his professor, Harry didn't have to look in his eyes to know that much.

The next morning, Harry took out a piece of parchment and quickly wrote a short note to the Potions Professor not wanting this animosity to grow.

Dear Severus,

I won't be able to show up for class today as I am volunteering to help Professor Edgecombe teach Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Sincerely,

Charles Prewett.

Harry had a house elf deliver breakfast in his rooms as he wanted to avoid Snape's icy stare. He could imagine it now, the thought alone made him shiver.

Harry quickly scarfed down his breakfast and headed to the DADA classroom.

Professor Edgecombe seated at her desk her hair in a tight bun. She wore ruby red lipsticks and a thin black dress that extended to her knees.

Harry thought the woman looked extremely sophisticated.

The students began to pile in, Harry recognized Diggory from Potion's class several days ago.

"Class today we'll be learning the Patronus Charm," Professor Edgecombe stated. "Professor Prewett has volunteered to help us today,"

The class drew their attention towards Harry. "Care to demonstrate, Mr. Prewett," Professor Edgecombe whispered softly.

"Expecto Patronum," Harry said.

A whisp of a white mass flowed from Harry's wand, and the stag trotted across the air onto the floor.

The gesture seemed to startle the DADA professor.

A hand rose.

"Mr. Davies," Professor Edgecombe called on the eager young man.

"How did you do that?" The man enquired curiously.

"It's really quite simple, just think of a happy thought," Harry smiled.

"But Professor, I've tried that,"

"You try everything, Guang," Another student popped out.

"I'm afraid it can't be just any happy thought, it must be a special thought,"

By the end of the lesson Harry was certain he had made progress.

During dinner, Harry made his way to the common room as he felt a prickle of frost scarf his neck. Harry turned with a horrible sense of dread. He had a feeling he was being watched.

For another night, Aurora greeted Harry at the entrance. In the shadows, someone loomed behind Harry unseen and hidden in the darkness.

"Charlie, I fear we may have a problem," Aurora stated. " I've looked into it and this could develop miserably. The fact of the matter is there are just too many possibilities,"

"Possibilities, in other words they're just too many universes to map?" Harry asked.

"It's more than that Charlie," Aurora replied. "It isn't as simple as time travel, it is far more complex than any of us could imagine. As long as numbers go to infinity, all the potential universes are nearly endless,"

"In other words we may have to start from scratch,"

"Exactly," Aurora replied, setting down Portal 9, Schrodinger on the counter.

Harry thought the cat was elegant and beautiful, and it was absurdly fishy that it seemed oddly familiar with him.

"Charlie, I need you to obtain these books from the library," Aurora said handing Harry a piece of parchment.

Harry scrutinised the paper.

The Grandfather's Index to Time Travel by Teh Grandfather

The Time Traveler's Guide to Alternate Universes by P. Hamila.

The Writings of Hector Rogers by H. Rogers

"Teh Grandfather," Harry asked.

"Many believe that was Merlin's nickname," Aurora replied.

Harry chuckled slightly, secretly wondering whether it could possibly be true.

The next day, Harry grudgingly hopped out of bed. He had been postponing this inevitability. The chance of meeting Professor Snape at the staff tables made butterflies leap in his stomach.

Harry walked towards the front of the staff table and sat beside Dumbledore.

"Great day isn't it, Charlie," Albus smiled eyes twinkling.

The loud sound of doors slamming open, made Harry turn his head to see a looming shadow stomp across the great hall. Students looked horrified at the spooky creature.

Harry realised the creature was Snape.

"Ah, the poor man is sulking," Albus cooed and turned towards Harry with his most innocent puppy dog eye. Was Dumbledore implying that he-? Harry froze at the train of thought.

There was absolutely no way, he'd apologise for embarrassing Snape in front of the Great Hall. The man deserved it for being such a pervert.

For someone who unintentionally brushed his fingers against his own, Snape sure knew how to make him uncomfortable. He'd never admit it, but the feeling while absolutely foreign made butterflies erupt in his chest.

Snape pulled a seat beside Harry and sat down. He scooted his seat as far from Harry as possible preferring James Potter any day.

Harry ate his food very slowly, he didn't want to chance it by arriving in his classroom too early. He feared Snape's insults. One step too far on Snape's part and the Professor would be on the ground with a bunch of broken limbs.

On Friday, it was Harry's first encounter with the Slytherin and Gryffindor first years. Harry spotted a young Scorpius Malfoy who was sitting in the back row. At some point he saw Rose Weasley join him, sitting next to the timid-looking Malfoy.

Candice Nott has thrown a spit wad at her hair which had slightly irritated Harry.

A fraction of a second later there was an explosion. Gero Thomas had destroyed his boil curing draft.

"I would have sworn it said to add the porcupine quills before the cauldron is taken off the fire." Gero murmured to his partner, Jiaying Chang.

"Enough," Snape said clearing the potion with a wave of his wand. "5 points from Gryffindor,"

Unfortunately that was the last straw for Harry, a biase against one's own house. It had been one of the greatest things that infuriated him about Snape.

The man was far too judgemental. His perceptions skewered with a substantial lack of amount of eyes in the back of his head, though his sense of hearing seemed to equivicate to that of a nocturnal bat.

"That's ENOUGH, I've had it," Harry raged. "Why can't you ever take points from Slytherin, I mean honestly are you that daft? I've just seen Miss Nott throw a spit wad in Miss Weasley's hair and you sit back and do nothing and take from Gryffindor because Mr Thomas messed up on a potion,"

Snape looked at Harry, eyes widening. "You're pathetic," Harry stated.

A nerve was twitching at the side of his mouth as Snape gracefully walked up to Harry and proceeded to grab him by his waistcoat.

"GET-OUT-OF-MY-CLASSROOM!" Snape boomed and Harry left.

At lunch, Harry decided to visit Hogsmeade. It couldn't have made Harry's day worst after all. He sat in the local tea shop drinking coffee, he preferred it cream and no sugar. Days like these it was better, bitter and melty and not sweet and creamy.

As he was exiting Honeydukes, he spotted two first years and a third year.

A tall man grasped the shoulder of a young Scorpius Malfoy.

The tall man looked alot like Antonin Dolonov. The wand was similar, too. Instinct kicked in and Harry ran out of the tea shop.

Harry aimed a burst of red light towards the death eater.

What were a couple of first years doing in Hogsmeade?

He hadn't been allowed to go to Hogsmeade til his fourth year and that was only because his guardians weren't willing to sign the permission slip during third year.

First years weren't allowed in Hogsmeade, yet here they were. Molly was the only authorized third year there.

The man's eyes darted his direction and Harry conjured a shield just in time as a purple coloured light headed his direction.

No doubt this was Antonin Dolonov. The curse he had hurled was one Harry was familiar with. It often followed with internal bleeding and severe pain.

Harry quickly dodged behind a wooden barrel.

Under his breath the man whistled and black faceless creatures began to soar across the skies.

Harry hurled a red light his direction, but just as quickly and Dolonov had yanked a young Scorpius Malfoy in front of him in the line of fire.

The boy was launched in the air, crashing through several windows which shattered with his body's impact.

Harry charged towards the death eater, but noticed he was growing weaker as he drew nearer. The dementors were drawing near.

"E-Ex-pect-o-patro-num," Harry gasped as he drew his wand, which emitted a bright white light before he collapsed unconscious.

End Notes:

1. Steven McCloud- In the original story, Steven is in fact a teacher at Hogwarts. For this story though he is an unspeakable in the Ministry of Magic. This character belongs to Iago96, so you'll have to ask this author's permission to borrow it.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

From an unknown source, the staff had been informed of an attack in Hogsmeade.

Minerva had been notified that Miss Rose Weasley was missing from the Gryffindor common room.

As the head of Slytherin house, Severus was blessed with the discomfort in knowing that a Mr Scorpius Malfoy was missing as well.

Assuming the attack to have been launched by some of Voldemort's former deatheaters, Dumbledore apparated to Hogsmeade joining up with Severus and Minerva.

At the corner of his vision, Snape saw a beautiful white stag trotting in air ridding the air of dementors.

"Albus, isn't that-?"

"That's Potter's patronus isn't it?" Snape inquired with narrow eyes.

Albus however paid no attention to Severus.

"Indeed rumour has it that is in fact James' patronus, quite magnificent isn't it?"

The magic present in the air was quite fresh and smelled minty. It made their skin knot into gooseflesh.

With Albus leading the way, the three followed the magic trails.

The unconscious body of Harry Potter was sprawled against the road, convulsing harshly and gasping for breath.

Standing beside him unnoticed was Rose and Molly Weasley, both of their faces white with horror.

"Professor, Scorpius...he got shot," Rose said shakily.

"Did you see what he was hit with?"

"I don't know it was sort of reddish,"

"That would be the disarming hex." Snape said under his breath.

"What happened afterwards?"

"It was the dementors," Molly explained. "They were soaring across the sky... it felt so hopeless. Aunt Ginny was teaching us how to cast a patronus but I never got the hang of it,"

"So who conjured that patronus we saw?" Minerva said.

Rose's arm moved, but Molly stopped it just in time. "We don't know," Molly cutted in.

Minerva looked at Molly suspiciously before heading for Malfoy.

"Looks like Mr. Prewett got caught in the crossfire," Albus said. "Severus, why don't you take him to the hospital wing,"

"But what about-" Snape was about to retort.

"Minerva, will take care of him and I'll take the Weasleys back to the Great Hall," Albus explained. "Come on girls."

Snape hesitated waiting for Dumbledore and McGonagall to leave. He scrutinised the young man before him carefully.

The way his hair stood up was eerily similar to that of James Potter.

Frozen and brittle, his heart clinched in fury. He felt humiliated and it was all Potter's fault.

Charlie had abandoned him.

Potter had abandoned him and the load on his heart felt better.

The hurt was easier to bear if Charlie were James Potter.

Yet it didn't explain as to why his heart beat erratically whenever the memory of their fingers brushing came to mind.

He wondered if Charlie had felt that spark too.

Perhaps it was a foreign experience to him.

Maybe he had been afraid of the meaning and distanced himself.

He knelt down and placed Charlie's arms around his neck and legs around his waist and carried him back to Hogwarts.

Once he had tossed the lagging body of Charles Prewett harshly on a bed, Snape turned on his heel eager to exit the hospital wing.

"Stop right there, Severus Snape," Madam Pomfrey blurted out, stopping Snape in his tracks.

"What is it now, Poppy?" Snape drawled irritably.

"Don't Poppy me," she blurted in return. "You are still my apprentice, so at the very least you can help me treat my patient."

"I'm busy."

"It can wait," Poppy retorted forcibly before waving her wand across Charlie's body. "Bring me a ball of chocolate from the store rooms."

Snape grimaced and headed towards the store rooms.

"Mum..." Harry gasped sadly. "Mum...don't die, please don't die,"

"Hush now Charlie, they're still alive," Poppy said.

But he had continued to sob obviously very unconvinced. " They're still alive."

Snape returned with the ball of chocolate.

"Enervrate," Poppy said waving her wand.

Harry awoke slowly.

"Here Charlie, you need to eat this." Poppy handed him the ball of chocolate.

"He's been out there with a couple of death eaters and you just give him a ball of chocolate, are you out of your mind?" Snape snarled.

"Now, now, whose doing this me or you?" Poppy replied irritably.

"I'm fine," Harry said. "I can take of myself, I don't need anyone."

"Well you need someone, I swear with your diagnostics and the amount of times you've been in the hospital wing," Poppy swore under her breath. "Danger seems to have an attraction to you."

"What do you mean?" Snape asked sharply.

"Never you mind Severus Snape, it is none of your business," Poppy stated. "Stay with him and inform me if his condition worsens."

During his short stay in the hospital wing, Harry took some time to think. With the attack at Hogsmeade, Harry began to think about his parents, Sirius, Lupin...Ginny. If he returned to his universe none of them would have a chance in this world if Voldemort returned.

Odds are that if he had died in this universe after killing Lord Voldemort then maybe there was a chance that he could still be resurrected through his horcruxes.

Based on his observations in Hogsmeade, the attack seemed to have been thoroughly organized. The town seemed to be unprepared against an unexpected attack.

He shivered in horror as he thought of what might occur if Voldemort was allowed to live once more.

Harry remembered one of the easier horcruxes to access had been located in the Room of Requirement, the Diadem of Ravenclaw.

Perhaps if he could somehow destroy them...

He certainly couldn't use the Sword of Gryffindor for he wasn't sure anyone had to have fought the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets and if this was the case then the basilisk would still be alive so there would be no basilisk fangs he could use.

Of course he could go down there to find out but he had to make preparations and if the basilisk was still alive then he had to prepare some means of protection.

He figured since he was no longer cursed with Lord Voldemort possessing his body that he had all the time to sharpen his dueling skills. Certainly he would need them in case there was any sort of struggle to obtaining any of the horcruxes.

It brought a memory when he had seen Snape dueling the headmistress. Professor McGonagall and Flitwick were skilled duelists of the time however Snape was quite admirably graceful on his feet.

Harry wished he was just as agile, perhaps if he was then he might stand a chance.

He remembered a time where he couldn't stand Snape's presence. Now he'd got so used to it he kind of missed his presence.

Harry shook his head perhaps he shouldn't have been thinking that way about his former professor.

Just where was his mind stirring him?

The days had gone by as usual, but Sunday had come as a surprise.

A tufted creature with milky eyes soared across the table and landed in his food.

Harry recognised Malfoy's old eagle owl above him and removed the parchment from it's talons.

The rolled up parchment was held together by the seal of the Malfoy family. Harry broke the seal reading the letter.

Mr. Prewett,

My son has just informed me how you have saved his life from the local death eaters. I'd be eternally grateful if you come by Malfoy Manor this Sunday evening.

Yours Truly,

Draco Lucius Malfoy

His hair stood up on the back of his neck as Harry felt someone creeping up behind him, peeking over his shoulder to see what he was reading.

He turned to see who it was.

Severus Snape was standing eerily close behind him. Harry flinched violently but it was ignored as Snape took his seat besides Charlie.

What puzzled Harry was the notable indifference from Snape as if nothing had happened between them several days ago.

Later that evening, Harry walked out of the anti-disapparation zone. Earlier during lunch his father had asked if he could come by to visit later, but Harry had humbly declined saying he was booked for the evening.

Just as he was about to apparate outside Malfoy Manor, Harry could hear fast footsteps treading his direction.

Harry turned to see Snape sprinting towards him. The man looked quite exhausted, panting heavily and sweat dripping down his face.

"What's your hurry?" Harry asked.

"You're going to Malfoy Manor, right?"

"Yeah,"

"You really do have a sense of danger don't you?" Snape said quite baffled.

"What do you mean?"

"Malfoy Manor is probably the most dangerous place you could be right now,"

So that answered his question. Apparently in this world Malfoy Manor was still the popular hideout for the local death eaters.

"If you are going to endanger yourself, I'll have no choice but to accompany you,"

"Were you invited, too?" Harry asked.

"Of course I was, Draco Malfoy is my godson," Snape replied hoarsely. "I just don't like get togethers, dancing just isn't my thing,"

"I'm surprised," Harry said. "You certainly look graceful enough,"

Snape scowled. "Well, do you want to get this over with or not,"

Harry forcibly smiled and turned on his heel and vanished.

Managing to land on his feet outside the gates of Malfoy Manor, a cool hand grasped his arm before he stumbled to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Snape asked.

"I'm fine. Apparation just doesn't seem to agree with me."

"Shall we proceed then?"

"Lead the way,"

"Alohomora," Snape chanted and the gates opened.

"It's that simple?" Harry asked.

"Hardly," Snape replied. "Not just anyone can say the spell, any unwelcome visitors would be hexed on the spot,"

Harry shuddered with the thought.

Snape rapped on the door of the Malfoy's manor.

A man with long gray hair and a slightly wrinkled face answered the door, he grasped a snake cane in his right hand.

"Ah, Severus long time no see, I see you aren't even close to balding like the rest of us,"

"Unlike you Lucius, I leave my toys at home," Severus said smirking when the man's face dropped in horror.

Lucius brought his cane closer to his chest holding it like a teddy bear.

"Draco has been wanting to see you, it's been a while,"

"Of course it has, of course it has," Snape replied dismissively.

Lucius grabbed upon Snape's elbow and brought him closer to him. "Is that Potter?"

"Hardly, if the lack of arrogance is any clue," Snape muttered.

"You sure, he certainly looks like James Potter," Lucius said getting a martini glass off a set-up table and handing one to Snape.

"I'm 100% positive that isn't Potter," Snape replied angrily. "That's Mr. Prewett, Draco invited him to this particular get together,"

"I've never known you were one to attend get togethers, Severus," Lucius added.

"I'm not," Snape retorted taking a sip from the martini glass.

"Are you two going out?" Lucius asked.

Snape spitted his drink out. "WHAT?"

Lucius patted Snape on the back hard before giving him a sympathetic look.

"We're not going out," Snape choked out.

While Snape and Lucius were having their conversation, Harry looked around.

Alot of people had been invited to this get together at the manor. He recognised several death eaters instantly but he hadn't spotted Dolonov so he was safe...for now.

He spotted Draco Malfoy at the corner of his eye arguing with Daphne Greengrass.

Harry trotted towards them, where the arguing became clearer.

"Your reputation will be ruined Draco, I won't let bygones be bygones," Daphne shrieked.

"And I assure you just as well that I will buy the judge's favor," Draco replied just as hotily.

"You've hurt my sister's feelings,"

"Well she hurt mine, she was cheating on me with Pansy,"

Pansy Parkinson was a? Harry didn't know whether the information was credible or not.

"Excuse me," Harry intruded.

Retorts however continued to drone him out. Harry tried again.

"EXCUSE ME,"

Draco turned towards Harry.

"Who're you?" Draco asked.

"Charlie Prewett," Harry said. "You're the one who invited me, are you not?"

"Yeah of course," Draco replied, before turning to the girl resigningly. "We'll talk later, Daphne."

Daphne left their company and Harry carefully scrutinised the blonde and understood what Lucius had meant.

Draco's head was balding, tufts of blonde hair stood at the edges of his forehead.

"I haven't seen you around, you a new professor at Hogwarts?"

"No, I'm an apprentice to Professor Snape," Harry replied.

"So eventually you will teach at Hogwarts," Draco stated.

"Yeah, eventually," Harry replied dismissively.

"You look awfully young, how old are you?" Draco asked.

"24," Harry said quietly. "Listen Mr. Malfoy I've heard you have quite the library, 100 times bigger than the one at Hogwarts, am I correct to make this assumption?"

Draco's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Now, now no need to be so suspicious, this isn't exactly the most subtle place," Harry said. "I wanted to look at several books,"

"Fine," Draco said resignating. "I'll show you myself on the condition that you dance with me,"

"Dance with you?" Harry asked eyes narrowing as Draco's had in suspicion. "Are you gay?"

"Not particularly," Draco replied. "You just seem like a very nice guy,"

"Very well," Harry said considering his thoughts. At least this way he could be sure to access the horcrux without suspicion.

Music flowed velvety through the room as Draco swept Harry upon the dance floor. For a Malfoy this Draco was sure a good dancer, Harry noted.

As Lucius and Snape continued their mellow reunions standing in front of the table of drinks. Snape had taken over pretty much the whole conversation.

However Lucius wasn't entirely focused on Snape's conversation instead looking at the dance floor in awe.

His son Draco was dancing with Mr. Prewett.

"Lucius, are you even listening to me?" Snape growled before turning to see what captured so much of his friend's focus.

Snape felt his heart clutch in anger at what he saw. The young man was dancing with his godson.

Of course he had felt bad when Astoria had cheated on his godson to go with Miss Pansy Parkinson, but the way Draco had slipped his hands against Charlie's hips so innocently...

It made Snape cringe. Why should he care if his godson wanted to dance with Charlie?

But as he saw Charlie seeming to dip into Draco's embrace, Snape had to restrain himself from not wanting to walk up to his godson and punch him across the face. Charlie was his dammit, his not Draco's.

After the dancing was over, Lucius looked at Snape.

"Severus, you are aware that your hand is bleeding?" Lucius said.

Snape looked down at his hands. He had squeezed his martini glass so hard that the glass had broke and shards embedded into his skin as a result.

"I'll remove them," Lucius said, grabbing onto Snape's arm.

Snape however wasn't paying attention to him just the empty spot in the room where Charlie and Draco had danced.

After Draco had lead Harry straight to the library, he had climbed the shelf rummaging over the books.

"You're just as bad as Granger, couldn't live without her books," Draco said under his breath. "Do you even know what you're looking for,"

"It's been a while," Harry murmured as he scanned the shelves.

Just then the door had opened.

Harry instantly recognized Amycus Carrow besides his sister.

"What are you doing here, Draco?" Alecto asked.

"Mr. Prewett here wanted to search for a book in the library,"

"Have you told your father yet,"

"About what?"

"How you have deliberately defied Aunt Bellatrix,"

"She isn't my mother," Draco retorted. "I don't have a death wish unlike some people, I've heard people rot in Azkaban,"

"Then what will happen when our lord is resurrected from the grave? He will be after you Draco," Alecto said.

"So, let him as long as my son's safe I'm not worried," Draco replied.

"I heard Dolonov confronted someone in Hogsmeade a couple of days ago," Alecto stated. "He said someone had the nerve to use a disarming hex on him, do you know who might've done that, Draco?"

Harry's skin shivered. There it was again that sense of forebodying like something bad was going to happen any second.

Just then Draco turned on his heel his wand pointed outward.

A light red blob shot out of Amycus' wand and hit Draco in the chest knocking him unconscious. Just then Harry had spotted Tom Riddle's diary and stuffed it in his jumper. Harry jumped off the stairs.

"You look an awfully lot like that man that Dolonov spotted in Hogsmeade," Alecto said grimly.

Harry slowly stepped backwards til his back met the wall.

"Crucio," Alecto chanted.

Harry's body cringed in pain, but being submitted to Crucio after the Second Wizarding war had caused his body to develop a slight immunity to the curse. Will power made Harry grasp tightly on his wand and under pain he held his wand out.

White lights burst out of his wand as Amycus and Alecto managed to dodge most of them. The door in it's place was embedded with the fine blades of Sectumsempra.

Alecto had slowly got up, her face marred in the aftermath. She held her arm close to her like a baby. Amycus had winced as his bloody leg was brought into his tight embrace.

Harry conjured ropes tying the two together.

A moment later, the door opened emitting Snape and Lucius. Lucius looked from Draco to Harry back to Draco again.

While Snape looked critically at the door. Funny thing, he was certain he was the only one who had known that particular spell.

His eyes were so focused on his own reasoning that he didn't see Lucius reach out for his wand.

When he heard the rustling of robes, Snape turned to see what was going on.

Draco Malfoy was sprawled unconscious on the floor, and Charlie was a bloody mess. So apparently his godson had been trying to get his groove on.

But then why was Lucius bringing out his wand...unless.

Charlie held his wand tightly, his face lacked any emotion. It was cold, it was freezing.

Snape turned to Lucius, his face was contorted in horror and he couldn't figure out why.

Then Snape turned back to Charlie, the young man's face was pale and sweaty and his hands were shaking slightly.

That was it, Lucius had cast Crucio on him. Lucius was looking at the man in horror because Charlie could still hold his wand while under crucio.

That was a feat quite impressive and quite unrealistic if anything Dumbledore said had been true. This coming from the young man who hadn't completed his NEWTs.

Charlie seemed to be looking beyond them however and Snape turned to see Alecto and Amycus Carrow tied and gagged behind them suffering from severe cutting wounds.

Snape had crept closer to Draco feeling for a pulse. It was beating steadily.

"Snape what is going on?" Lucius said coldly turning towards his friend.

"Draco is alright, he was just knocked unconscious," Snape said.

"Did you do it?" Lucius asked dangerously.

"No, if you want to know who blessed you with that honor talk to the Carrows," Harry replied just as dangerously.

Lucius turned and removed the gags harshly from the Carrows.

Harry crumpled unconscious to the floor.

"Why me?" Snape muttered under his breath. Well that answered his question, at least he knew Charlie hadn't hexed his godson into oblivion.

"Draco defied the mistress," Alecto stated. "She told me to have a talk with her nephew,"

"Then I suppose it's safe to assume that it was my sister in law who intiated that attack at Hogsmeade,"

"Yes, she wanted to capture Scorpius in order to blackmail Draco to come,"

"Why would he come there for, he doesn't want to get himself killed." Lucius explained.

Alecto shook her head, and eyes darted towards Snape. Lucius caught the eye movement and his ears leaned towards her mouth.

"Oh, I see," Lucius said dismissively. "See to it then that you punish Draco as you see fit, and Severus the party is over you two can go home now,"

Snape didn't like the smirk Lucius wore on his face as he said that.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

At sometime, Harry awoke in the infirmary feeling oddly light headed. He saw a dark looming figure before him sitting on the side of the bed.

"That was certainly quite impressive," A voice said cool and silky, seeming to speak to no one in particular.

Harry knew better though, Snape was addressing his heroic deed.

"You carried me here," Harry rattled in accusation.

"It wasn't such a big problem before," Snape said.

"Before? I thought Albus..."

"You dunderhead, why do you think I was helping Madam Pomfrey? Did you really think it was a coincidence?" Snape inquired incredulously.

"Yeah, actually," Harry replied.

"How did you know that spell?"

"What spell?"

"Sectumsempra," Snape drawled angrily.

Uh, oh, now he was in trouble. Unless he had something else to go off of he'd have to tell him how he had learned that spell. He couldn't say he'd learned it from his old school because Snape himself had created that spell. He could try to play dumb but if Snape was able to see through his stupidity then he'd be in deep trouble.

However the first time he had found Snape's old potions book was through a mistake. Perhaps Snape wouldn't care if it had been an accident or by mistake he had stumbled across it.

"I stumbled across the spell written in an old potion's book in the storage cabinet," Harry explained.

"You're rather incompetent with that spell," Snape said unaware of Harry's internal struggle.

/Says the one who managed to cut off George Weasley's ear aiming for a death eater./ Harry thought but said nothing not wanting to reveal himself so soon.

"And certainly your dueling can improve, I mean Lucius throws you hexes and you just stand there and take the pain what's wrong with you," Snape said offhandedly.

"Better that then what I was planning," Harry said. Truthfully he wasn't so sure despite the fact that Lucius Malfoy wasn't going to attack him for presumably killing his son that he hadn't wanted to make him suffer equally. He was beyond livid when Snape had arrived in the library with his wrist entangled in Lucius' grip.

Jealousy had flowed through his veins, and he had wondered whether Lucius and Snape had been lovers previously a lot like Rabastan had. His teeth gritted at the thought.

"And what were you planning exactly?"

"Nevermind," Harry said offhandedly.

"Then what were you doing dancing with my godson," Snape asked with a snarl.

"I needed to obtain something from their library," Harry replied.

"And what was it that required you two to dance together like lovers,"

"He wanted me to dance with him,"

The stoic expression of Charlie's face was rather impressive.

"You're gay?"

"Not at all, I'm straight," Harry replied.

Snape didn't know whether to sigh in relief or in disappointment. But it certainly had explained some things that had happened earlier. Charlie was homophobic. The manner in which he worked was almost slytherin.

"Well, either way with the amount of trouble you get yourself through day by day you'll have to learn dueling sooner or later," Snape said. "Meet me outside my quarters at lunch and after dinner, and I'll teach you to duel properly."

"Thanks," Harry replied closing his eyes smiling lightly missing an identical smile on Snape's face.

/Well at least now I don't have to worry about finding a teacher who will teach me./

"How long will I be in here?" Harry asked.

"I'll ask Poppy when you'll be released,"

Once he had safety arrived at his quarters in the Room of Requirement. Harry had removed his jumper and picked up the diary of Tom Riddle in his hands.

Where could he hide it temporarily till he killed the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets? Then it hit him, Draco had never had any use of the Vanishing Cabinet. From what he had heard he seemed to have reformed so he had never joined the death eaters. To this end, Draco had never had to fix the Vanishing Cabinet because he hadn't been obligated to kill Dumbledore at the end of his sixth year. The Vanishing Cabinet wasn't linked to Borgin and Burkes.

So Harry could temporarily hide the diary in the Vanishing Cabinet along with the Diadem of Ravenclaw.

Searching for the Vanishing Cabinet it materialised behind Harry. The upside to this was that only Harry and Voldemort knew what the horcruxes were and where they were hidden.

That afternoon during lunch, Harry followed Snape to his quarters. In the end this had included walking into the Slytherin towers to the bottom most part of the tower. A portrait of Sir Cadogan stood outside of Snape's quarters.

"Tycho Brahe," Snape murmured under his breath.

"Aye aye, Sir," The portrait sung out heartily and moved aside.

Harry followed Snape inside his quarters. It was almost how he had always imagined it to look like.

It was dark and dreary, however towards the back of his quarters was a kindled fireplace. In front of the fireplace stood a long sofa with an afghan quilt folded to the side. Above it stood a family crest of a sword wrapped in rose vines.

Harry had always wondered about Snape's wizarding family. He assumed it was the Prince's family crest after all the Prince family had always been pureblood.

Two suits of armor stood beside the fireplace, two shiny silver swords held in their hands.

With a flick of the wand, the sofa had been moved to the side. Harry marveled at the handwoven carpet that covered the floor.

Snape removed his outer robes and hung them on the arms of the armoured knight.

Harry having no outer robes to remove just awaited Snape's initiation of the lesson.

"You use a disarming hex don't you," Snape asked Harry.

"Yeah,"

"I take it you hit Mr. Malfoy with it last Friday,"

"On accident,"

"Accident indeed, in battle you can't afford to make accidents,"

A burst of white light shot out of Snape's wand and Harry ducked in the nick of time. Several blades impaled the family crest above the fireplace.

"Hey, that's not fair," Harry retorted. "I wasn't ready,"

"And you will be?" Snape inquired thoughtfully.

"...no," Harry replied hesitantly.

Harry shot out a burst of light red light.

It deflected off Snape. Harry realised the man had conjured a shield wandlessly.

A burst of red light burst from Snape's wand and hit him straight in the chest and Harry was hurled away.

"How did you do that so fast," Harry asked.

Snape smirked. "By the end of the week you'll get better,"

During the midst of the Autumn term, Harry had stopped by the library finally having enough time on his hands to look for the books on Professor Sinistra's book list.

He had skimmed several shelves last Saturday and hadn't came across any of the books at that time either. It was fruitless. Skimming through the shelves of books Harry couldn't find them anywhere.

It was during his fruitless searching through the library that a temporary addition had been added to the Hogwart's staff.

Hermione Granger had needed information that only the public wizarding libraries had stationed in their directories. Unfortunately most of the old laws had been nullified due to the lack of moral individuals before being burned. Most had been corrupted by Voldemort's old regime.

The only place that still contained reminants of the old laws was the library at Hogwarts.

The young woman just happened to stumble upon Harry as she nearly tripped descending down the stairs.

Harry managed to catch her but not before the tower of books came clashing to the ground.

"Are you alright," he asked.

"I'm fine," Hermione said. "Who are you I've never seen you here before?"

"Charles, Charles Prewett but you can call me Charlie," Harry said with a faint smile.

"Hermione, Hermione Granger," An outstretched hand reached for Harry's own.

Harry took the outstretched hand cautiously, as Hermione dragged herself to her feet.

"Guess I'll have to pick up all these books," Hermione muttered under her breath. "Even after so long I have never managed to go through all of the books in the Hogwarts library,"

"What're you researching," Harry asked curiously, helping Hermione pick up the books.

"Oh, I guess you wouldn't know," Hermione said softly. "I work for the Federation of Intelligent wizards and a highly noted member of the Wizengamot. Dumbledore himself was once a member, you know. I'm researching the old wizarding laws, y'know at one point that most of the dark spells today were once illegal. It's just terrible how wizards abuse the law nowadays,"

Of course he knew that. He came from a time in which just saying chanting a spell was nearly illegal. Despite his doubts with getting along with this Hermione, Harry knew that it certainly could be advantageous, if not to getting himself home but to learning new magic if she would be his research partner.

"Tell you what, I'll help you look for the information that you need, if you'll help me with a little research of my own," Harry said.

So it was often that during his spare time, one would usually find Harry Potter either dueling with Professor Severus Snape or researching materials with Hermione Granger.

As he and Hermione worked on their research often they would talk among each about their day.

During this time, Harry had managed to fabricate a spell he had learned using the latin in an old text.

The term of Umbra had been used to control the shadows.

Combining the root of Umbra with nox, had made Harry control the time of the day. It was probably intended with the outcome of fabricating one's own shadows. It was almost like the lamp of darkness.

Professor Lupin had pointed out in their third year exactly what the lamp of darkness did.

"The lamp of darkness turns the day to night, however there is only one in existance,"

Indeed if it was that plentiful, the Weasley twins would have used it to ditch school altogether.

Iraignis was a spell used to harness fury in a refutable counter attack in means of revenge. It had became out of use in the latter part of the 12th century due to the deadly amount of damage caused.

Fulgur was the lightning spell, however it required severe concentration and the power to tame elementals.

Signum was the spell of sealing, it's purpose was to temporarily seal something in a magical encasement fabricated by one's own life force.

Aquamenti's origins had come from the old spell hydrokinesio which sprouted a large jet of water at it's victims.

Soon he had figured out what Dumbledore had meant when there was a spell that sent a person through time.

Chronocinesis was a spell that hurtled the victim through a repetition of events throughout the person's life.

One day he and Hermione had even found out about a permanent deaging solution created by John Dee.

Even Snape would be impressed with that one.

Later in John's writings he had found a reaging solution, antidote to all types of shrinking solutions except to his own creation. /That could prove useful./ Harry thought.

As the autumn term drew on Professor Nicholas Flamel arrived during the second part of the term.

Harry curious as always had attended his class of course after mailing Severus, letting him know that he wouldn't be arriving for class that day.

The professor reminded Harry of a grandfather he had never had.

Carefully he stood in front of the classroom where a furry white mouse was held in a wire cage on the desk.

"Hello, glad to see the faces of my old students," he said. "Though I don't remember that young man in the back,"

"Me?" Harry asked. "I'm Charlie, Charlie Prewett,"

"Well, Charlie Prewett I'm glad you can join us today as we go over the rules of equivalent exchange," Nicholas said with a dreamy smile. "How did you like Professor Owen,"

"She was very nice, professor," A young girl popped out.

"I'm glad," Nicholas sighed in contentment."Now what do we have here class?"

A young boy raised his hands.

"Jordan,"

"Sir, that's a mouse,"

"Yes, well what if I was to tell you for exchange of every life that you strive to save, another life must die to perserve the one that was saved,"

"Sir you're not going to kill it are you?" A girl's voice asked fearfully.

"No, I'm not going to kill it, there are otherways to express this law of equivalent exchange," Nicholas explained his eyes darted towards Harry.

"For example," Nicholas took out a huge chunk of rock from under his desk. "I found this while exploring some limestone caves, any deeper and you'd probably find diamonds. What if I was to tell you I can make a diamond right now,"

A magical circle appeared below the rock and instantly the rock began to form a clear colored diamond.

"Of course most of it's general properties are the same but it is no longer a rock and will probably no longer be a rock, that was the sacrifice to be paid," Professor Nicholas Flamel explained. "And in the case of this mouse, Algernon was once cursed with a underdeveloped brain, and muggles have tried to give him a brain but there is a price to be paid. Algernon may have the intelligence of a regular mouse, but he is slowly dying from this temporary solution,"

The Professor set out a maze on the desk and opened the mouse's cage. He scooped up the white mouse and set him in the maze.

"The goal of this exercise is to see how long it takes for Algernon to make it to the slice of cheese," The professor explained.

As Harry observed the white mouse trotting the maze, he noticed Algernon began crashing into walls. His attempts of finding the exit futile and he kept making the same turns over and over again.

"You see one would think a mouse would learn from their mistakes and usually one would, but Algernon doesn't have the capacity to remember in the long term. Eventually he won't have enough of his mind intact to issue self care and he will die because that was the sacrifice to be made."

It was long after Alchemy class that Harry made his way to meet with Snape in his quarters. He had been looking forward to his lessons of dueling with Snape during lunch.

The material covered with Professor Flamel was sure a lot to think about. The idea that a simple gamble could even mean bigger consequences in the end. In his world he certainly didn't have to face Voldemort after he had killed himself but then again if he had avoided confronting Voldemort, then perhaps he wouldn't have had to worry about trying to get home. Harry had yet to know if arriving here wasn't the biggest mistake he had ever made in his life. It certainly was food for thought.

Caught up in his musings Harry didn't notice the figure moving towards him until he collided with it. His reflexes allowed him to keep himself upright but his victim wasn't so lucky.

Severus Snape landed on the cold stone floor with an exclamation of surprise. Almost immediately a hand was before him. He looked up to its owner and saw his attacker, Charles- 'Charlie,' he corrected himself.

"I'm so sorry, Severus. I didn't see you there." Charlie said apologetically.

Snape took the offered assistance and once he was upright, straightened his robes.

"What pray tell, had you so concerned that you ploughed into me like a rampaging hippogriff?"

"Just thinking about some things," Charlie said thoughtfully his face frowning.

"Ahh I see. Perhaps it is best not to think of such things if it causes such inattention to your surroundings. I should hate to be your victim a second time." Snape piled upon the conversation with sarcasm.

"Funny hearing those words from you. Perhaps you should also look where you are going, next time. I never took you as much for a clumsy type." Harry said.

Snape flushed and muttered the password under his breath. Sir Cadogan's portrait moved aside. Snape walked inside.

Sir Cadogan was attempting to suppress his snickering.

"What had you so amused?" Harry asked in slight irritation.

"Nothing, nothing, ol' laddie," he replied, amusement lacing his voice. "Only...I do not believe I have ever seen Severus actually trip over another person before. He usually has more grace than that."

"Perhaps he was simply too absorbed with the matters in his own head. Tell me, Sir Cadogan, did no one ever get the best of you whilst you were heading about your merry way,"

His retort gained him nothing but a knowing smile and a quiet chuckle. "Indeed, my dear wife often did."

Harry blushed profusedly in anger and humiliation at the implication. He walked shakily through the portrait to Snape's quarters.

After dinner, Harry walked up to Snape's portrait. Snape had given him the password during lunch.

"Jean-Francois Lamour," Harry said.

"Aye Aye, Sir," Sir Cadogan replied happily and the portrait moved aside.

It happened in an instant as he entered the portrait had closed behind him, a strong force pushed him against the door and he fell.

Harry looked up, and stared at...himself. A tall man with short black hair and almond green eyes stared at him coldly. The only difference between the two of them was the clone had no round glasses on his face and wore different clothes.

"Who-Who are you?" Harry asked.

"I'm you," The man said a red light bursting out of his hand.

Harry rolled away instinctively and fired a orange light.

The Harry clone quickly swat the air with a wand in his second hand and fired a yellow colored curse.

That hex managed to dissolve his shirt, however Harry also managed to hit the clone with a hex that made his feet dance. The clone laughed coldly.

"Is that the best you could do? Severus would be so disappointed in you," The clone said. "You know he bragged about how well you seemed to be progress and all efforts are proving to be futile,"

"SHUT UP," Harry said angrily. A hex zoomed past him and he winced as he felt his cheek burning and a second hex soon came his direction as well.

Harry was paralysed, his teeth were clinched in fury. The clone of himself carried his body and stuffed him in a closet in Snape's bedroom.

Waving his wand towards Harry, he noted that it was now dressed in the same clothes he wore. It was then a wave of comprehension flowed through his mind but it was useless he wouldn't be able to stop his counterpart, now.

Just as soon as the closet door was shut and Harry was welcomed into darkness, Snape graced the clone Harry with his presence.

"I see you've managed to beat the clone I set up for you in the room," Snape drawled on.

"Yes, he was very easy to defeat,"

"Indeed? What did you learn in all of this?" Snape asked.

"To always be on guard," Clone Harry replied and he drew eerily closer to Severus Snape as they headed towards his bedroom.

"Don't you have somewhere you have to be?" Snape inquired offhandedly.

"Uh, I needed to talk to you," Clone Harry murmured softly grabbing onto Snape's wrist. "I-I wanted to ask you something,"

"What is it?"

Clone Harry brought his hands up to Snape's chin and tilted his head towards him and forced Snape to look in his eyes.

"How do you feel about me?"

Snape's face turned a deep shade of red. He wasn't aware he had given the impression that he had feelings for Charlie. Of course he had feelings for Charlie but it was questionable. At one time he had been old enough to be the man's grandfather, even now...

But the young man had drawn closer to him. The two were inches apart from one another.

In horror Harry saw the clone's lips meet Snape's own.

"That isn't me," Harry struggled to say, his fingers struggled futilely against invisible binds. Jealousy surged through his veins.

But Snape didn't pull away in that instant and the clone's hands had wrapped around his waist pulling him closer.

Slowly with much struggling, the binding was removed from Harry's hands. But seeing Snape reciprocate the kiss made Harry feel more helpless.

Suddenly a wrist grabbed tightly upon the cloned Harry.

"Wait a minute, what are you doing?" The clone asked.

"Where's Charlie?" Snape asked coldly.

"What are you talking about? I am Charlie,"

"No, you're not," Snape said. "The Charlie I know doesn't harbour those kind of feelings for me. So let me ask you again, where is Charlie?"

"How do you know he doesn't harbour those kind of feelings for you? He seemed really upset when I told him how disappointed you'd be if he didn't managed to defeat me,"

With a slice of his wand through the air, the clone writhed in pain. "WHERE IS HE?" Snape raged.

"H-He's in the closet," The clone stuttered in horror.

Snape's eyes widened in surprise before he opened the closet door to see Harry in the closet paralysed in horror.

"Finite incantatum," He muttered. The clone vanished and Harry crumpled to the ground in horror.

"Charlie, what's wrong," Snape asked kneeling down next to Harry.

"H-he, I-I was paralysed and he stuffed me in the closet then he took up my appearance," Harry stuttered. "I-I felt so helpless,"

"It's alright," Snape replied, and brought Harry to his chest patting him on the back. Harry sobbed quietly against Snape's chest.

End Notes:

1. Lamp of Darkness-is from the Dragon Quest series. I own the first four video games on the NES. But I don't own any of the franchise or copyrights, so no suing me.

2. John Dee-is from The Alchemyst in the Nicholas Flamel series and I don't own him either.

3. Algernon-is a mouse mentioned in the Flowers for Algernon and the character doesn't belong to me. It belongs to author, Daniel Keyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The next morning, Harry set out before breakfast already owling Snape telling him where he'd be for throughout the day.

He needed to obtain fine sifted sand and mineral water according to the book of Alchemical processes he obtained from Nicholas Flamel, to create a mirror one had to have enough sand and water.

Harry had learned the transmutation spell from Professor Flitwick prior to his chaotic dueling lesson that evening. Unfortunately the spell to make a transmutation circle bordered dark magic and to complete a transmutation spell he needed to conjure a transmutation circle.

So he had obtained the book within the restricted section.

According to the book, one had to draw the transmutation circle with their own blood.

Within his own quarters, Harry took out a needle that he had often used for sewing his garments and poked his fingers enough to draw out blood.

He drew the circle, and cast the spell, "Circumsanguine"

The circle glowed brightly, and Harry placed the ingredients of sand and water within the middle.

Harry closed his eyes and pictured the mirror in his mind. Then he opened his eyes.

A small mirror stared at him and Harry picked it up. He shrunk it and placed it in his pockets.

Now he could continue to the next step in his plan.

Harry cast a disillusionment charm on himself and exited the Room of Requirement. He headed towards the girl's bathroom.

Once inside he made certain no one inhabited the bathrooms by looking for feet under the stalls. Then he made his way towards the snake-shaped nozzle on the sink.

"Open," Harry hissed in parseltongue. Long after he had defeated the dark lord, he had remembered how Ron had opened the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets reciting what he had heard once escaping from Harry's own lips.

Harry cast a cushioning charm as he slid down the entrance.

It was as cold and dark as he had remembered.

"Lumos," Harry chanted. A white light shimmered from his wand.

He soon found himself inside the chamber where he had faced the young Tom Riddle. Still the basilisk had not shown itself.

Harry looked around the chambers cautiously. A huge statue caught his eye.

He drew closer to the statue and upon further scrutiny of it's features, Harry assumed it was the founder of Salazar Slytherin. A shiny object had caught his eye.

Harry looked down and saw a golden ring on the statue's middle finger. Suddenly a chill crept up his back and he had a foreboding on imcoming danger. Harry removed the ring from the statue's fingers and placed in on his finger.

Suddenly he heard it.

/Who dares disturb me in the middle of my rest/

Harry turned slightly, avoiding the stare of the basilisk. The snake was just as big as he remembered. Adrenaline began pumping through his veins as he looked at the Snake's abdomen.

"I do. My name is Harry Potter."

/It has been many seasons since there has been a speaker. Come to me. Why are you here?/

"I needed to obtain some basilisk venom,"

/May I ask what for?/

"I need it to destroy something that is nearly indestructable,"

/A dark object, perhaps?/

"Of course,"

/I see, and you'd like me to destroy these dark objects?/

"Actually I wasn't really expecting much of anything, much less any of this dialogue at all. I thought you'd kill me the moment I arrived because the last time I confronted a basilisk I was nearly killed."

/Well, carnage is a part of our diet you see. However I haven't had food in so long it doesn't really matter anyhow./

"But you did kill someone over a hundred years ago,"

/Yes, I told her to close her eyes but she did not understand me and looked straight at me before I had managed to lower my second eyelids./

"Wait, you have two eyelids?" Harry asked abruptly, quite shocked with that revelation.

/Of course. We only use our true gaze to hunt prey. You can safely look at me now, Harry Potter./

Still in shock, Harry lifted his gaze and finally looked directly upon the giant snake. It was easily 40 feet long.

"Do I have your guarantee you won't attack anyone attending Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

/Of course, provided that you be my bonded./

"Bonded? What does that mean?"

/It means that I would be able to tell if you were in danger. I would protect you and in return I would have you to provide me with food and shelter. It is a magical bond and can only be ended by the death of one./

"Why would you want to bind yourself to me?"

/You remind me of my first bonded. You are strong and will care for me./ She obviously meant Salazar Slytherin.

"Alright."

Before he could even process the movement, the basilisk struck. When Harry came to, he felt a burning pain in his shoulder and felt something resting on his back. He groaned as he raised himeself onto his elbows. He had a killer headache.

/Master?/

"Where are you"

/On your back./

"What did you do to me?"

/We are now bonded. I had to bite you to bond us./Her tone was patient, as though explaining something simple to a child.

"How did you-"

/I was able to implant myself on your back during the bonding. I would be of no use to you in my previous form./

Harry suddenly thought about something. "When you were Salazar's bonded, if he kept you down here wouldn't he have his own private quarters here as well?"

/That is true, master. However Salazar didn't want anyone from his descended to have access to his quarters but he also didn't want muggle borns to have any access either. That statue requires a password in order to access his rooms./

"So what would happen if a parselmouth tried to open the door."

/The statue can sense a parselmouth and won't allow them entrance./

"I think I have some clue if Professor Binns has been anything but insightful." Harry said to his snake.

"Pureblood supremecy," Harry said.

The statue gurgled, "That is the password and I can see you are not from pureblood decent but you are not a muggleborn either, so you may pass."

The statue moved aside, and Harry saw a hall of wooden doors. Harry peeked through the door on his left. Inside he saw a chemical labouratory, a weird sort of invention with various pipes sticking out. Several vials were filled with different colour fluids.

One was steamy and Harry who was particularly worried closed the door.

Harry opened the door on the right and was immediately overcome by the amount of books in the library.

He could sense a dark malicious magical signature and his eyes skimmed over the books.

Harry cast a tempus spell. It was 9:30 am and he wondered what Severus would be doing right now.

He took out a book off the shelf and quickly looked through it. By the 50th book, Harry wondered how he had gotten through so many books so quickly.

He checked the time, only 45 minutes had gone by. He probably read more than a thousand pages per book in small hardly legible print.

Somehow he had remembered every detail of what he had read also. The amount of information his mind could hold was outstanding.

Harry's eyes caught on some peculiar books on the shelves. A large book stood out and Harry accioed it.

In huge caplock letters was 'Teh Grandfather', however instinctively his hand with the wand in it had a mind of it's own.

His wand hand waved over the book and 'Teh Grandfather' disappeared off the cover of the book and revealed the true title.

The Grandfather's index to time travel flashed across the book cover where Harry's wand waved across the book.

This was the book, Professor Sinistra had asked him to find.

Harry scanned the pages and was shocked when he had retained the memory of what he had read and put the book away.

Curious Harry waved his wand once more attempting to summon 'The writings of Hector Rogers and 'The time traveler's guide to alternate universes'.

Both books popped into his grasp, and as Harry began to read 'The time traveler's guide to alternate universes', the basilisk slithered up Harry's backside to look over his shoulders.

/That's one weird book writer. I've certainly never heard of this concept of alternate universes./

"Neither have I really, til I've arrived. Do you have a name I could refer to you as?" Harry asked. "I think it would be rude of me to continue refering to you as a basilisk seeing as the staff would possibly only look at you as a danger to their lives,"

/You come from an alternate universe?/ The basilisk asked curiously.

"Yeah, there was a chamber of secrets in my universe," Harry explained. "But Voldemort had control over the Basilisk in my universe,"

/That is the downside of being a Basilisk, only Parselmouths can obtain complete control over us./

"But I am not a parselmouth."

/I suspect the only reason you can actually talk to me is because of that ring in your possession./

Harry looked down at his fingers for the first time. "Maybe that is why I was able to read all those books so quickly."

/Could be./ The basilisk replied. /Now as the matter of my name. I rather like this Hamila guy, though his research is somewhat questionable. From what I've read he seems to be a rather funny man and Salazar had always referred to me simply as 'The basilisk./

"Are you a female or a male?" Harry asked.

/Female./

"Then Hamila it is."

Harry conjured a ladder to get back to the surface. It was break at the time and he met with Severus before the next class.

"I trust your trip to Diagon Alley has been successful."

"Yes, sir,"

"Good."

Later in the evening before his arranged visit with Professor Sinistra, Harry brought Hamila with him into his quarters in the Room of Requirement.

/You have nice quarters, master./

Harry opened the Vanishing cabinet.

/I sense a dangerous aura radiating from the cabinet, master./

"That would be correct, Lord Voldemort appears to have made them into horcruxes as he has in my world."

/Would you like me to destroy them, master?/ Hamila asked.

"Yeah, I've had them in my possession for far too long." Harry said.

Later in the evening, Harry had all but ran to Professor Sinistra's quarters.

"Cornelius Agrippa,"

The portrait opened and Harry went inside, panting heavily.

"I found them..." Harry said breathily.

"Found what," Aurora asked.

"The books,"

"Where are they now?"

"They're in the Chamber of Secrets but it doesn't matter I have a vivid memory," Harry explained. "The reason why Schrodinger dies in some universes and not in others is because of the Arithmatic number of his full name."

"Really? Oh would Septima love to hear that," Aurora said off-handedly.

"Oh and according to Hamila, apparently dimensional mirrors seemed to be a common fad of the century. He said because mirrors are usually sealed with magic. The only way a dimensional hole would be able to suck me in is if it shattered with the force of a power equal to that of the caster. The gravitational pull in the end, would be so great that it would suck me in."

"Especially when both of our universal values were the same." Aurora said with a kind of revelation. "That's the reason why it didn't work before."

"What didn't work before?" Harry asked.

"We were looking for that particular portal and couldn't find it because the numbers weren't the same."

"I sent Schrodinger through a dimensional portal looking for a universe with the exact same expansion of our universe, we didn't find it because I didn't callobrate the Clarischronoscope to measure how long our universe would have expanded within a couple of months,"

"How did you calculate the distances between our dimensions to begin with?" Harry asked.

"It's quite simple, the speed at which you traveled here would imply that time moves more slowly in your universe. Four times as slowly to be precise." Aurora explained. "The Schrodinger we have in our possession has been to your universe."

"So Portal 9 will take me home?" Harry asked.

"After we divide our expansion by four and calculate when the growth of your universe will be equal to ours. Then we'll have to calculate an arithmatic sequence with your name. If it all works out then we'll slip you through Portal 9."

"All these portals are dimensional holes right, so why did I wind up on the Quidditch field in this universe?"

"The force in which you travelled through the dimensional hole probably shot you further through space. But the dimensional hole on your world was a one-way ticket to this moment in time. It doesn't work in the reverse. By the time you get back to your own dimension, several years may pass because the growth rate of your universe is slower than ours."

A couple of weeks before Christmas break, Harry had finished helping Hermione complete her research.

"So Hermione, do you want to go out for a drink to celebrate our accomplishments?"

"Why certainly," Hermione said.

The two of them had met that evening in Hogsmeade at the Three Broomsticks.

Harry and Hermione were sitting on stools in front of a liquor bar, taming two bottles of butterbeers.

"Hey, Hermione I was wondering if you could come by for next week before you head back to the Ministry," Harry asked. "The Professors would all like to meet you again and Professor Potter invited you to come by for dinner."

"Are you sure they won't mind?" Hermione asked.

"Of course not," Harry said.

"So what's up with you and Professor Snape?"

"H-how-did- you know?"

"The way you used to talk about him when we met in the library during break," Hermione explained. "Nothing seems to amuse you nowadays."

"There's not really that much to talk about." Harry replied flushing slightly.

"You love him-"

"I do not."

Suddenly the door to the Three Broomsticks opened and a tall stalky figure walked through. Hermione recognised the old healer in an instant. Snape didn't seem to spot them right away but Harry caught his eye and motioned to their table.

Snape slouched walking slowly towards them with an expression that Harry could only decipher as torn.

"I trust I am not intruding?" He asked smoothly from behind Harry. Snape's voice causing gooseflesh to erupt from his skin and abruptly making him shiver.

"Not at all, Professor. Charlie and I were just having an abrupt drink before I return to the Ministry after the holidays." Hermione explained.

"I believe you had some research to get done."

"Yes. A study on the evolution of wizarding law." Hermione challenged.

"And what did you learn?" Snape asked, before asking the bartender for some firewhiskey.

"There used to be a major restriction of a several dark spells in the 1990s. Notably the Cruciatus, Imperius and Avada Kedavra curses."

"Yeah, that certainly is interesting," Snape bit maliciously. "but if those were the only restricted spells, one must wonder why they never got rid of ones that cause damage directly linked to a wizard's early grave."

"Minister Fudge banned all the unforgivable curses because he didn't want to go through all the paperwork because a wizard or a witch can be directly linked to the spell that was cast. The reason Minister Fudge didn't rid any other mortal spells because I believe he had means of ridding his competition by not making their defeat so blatantly obvious."

Snape was startled. "So Fudge used indirect means to get rid of his competition."

"Yes, is it really all that shocking?" Hermione asked before turning to Harry. "Well, thanks...for helping me out, Charlie." Before she leaned down, pecking a kiss on his cheek.

"You're welcome," Harry replied. "Would you like me to walk you back to Hogwarts?"

"That's alright, Charlie. I'll be fine." Then Hermione turned and left the Three Broomsticks leaving the two in utter silence.

"Miss Granger is a very intelligent young witch." Snape commented downing his 7th shot of firewhiskey, watching his companion out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah," Harry replied sheepishly. "I'll certainly miss her."

Snape gritted his teeth.

'Why did I sit with them? And why did I drink so much?" He thought to himself furiously. 'Oh yeah. Couldn't stand seeing them together without alcohol.'

"Why, ye two going out?"

Harry looked his way incredulously. "You're pissed."

"'m not," Snape said quite rebelliously, standing much too quickly causing him to stumble.

Harry caught him just in time. "You are, too."

"Am' not," Snape slurred. Harry placed his arm over his shoulders.

"I think we should be getting back to Hogwarts, Severus."

The man was in no state to refuse and after downing the remainder of his drink, was forced out the door in the arms of his companion.

Soon enough, Snape began to stumble on his feet held straight only by Harry. Snape had taken to napping on his shoulders and was snoring quite loudly.

Eventually the two had found their way to Snape's quarters. Harry set Snape against the wall.

Harry brushed his shoulder. "Severus. Severus."

Snape groaned, his eyelids flashing briefly.

"What's the password?" Harry said.

But Snape continued to groan.

"Severus." Harry tried again before becoming quite frustrated with the man. "Snape. SNAPE."

The man still hadn't budged much, just groaned rather loudly.

"Aquamenti." Harry chanted.

"Protego." Snape said under his breath, reflexively causing the water to jet towards Harry causing him to fall on his arse.

"Hydrokinesio," Harry said. The water had made an arch not unlike a waterfall from his wand. The end of the arch had landed on Snape causing him to fall flat on his ass soaked from head to toe.

"Alright, alright. I'm up. I'm up." Snape muttered incoherently.

"What's the password?"

"Albrecht Durer." Snape slurred, expanding on the accent.

The portrait slid open and Harry dragged Snape inside. He dragged Snape upon the bed in his quarters.

Unfortunately for Harry however there was absolutely no way he was going to make it to his quarters in the Room of Requirement. Snape had pulled Harry on the bed with him.

Harry flushed as Snape pulled him closer towards his chest like a kid does to their stuffed teddy bear. He grimaced as he saw Snape suck on his thumb.

/What a nancy boy./ Harry thought.

The next morning, it had dawned on Snape that this the first morning he had woken to utter bliss in a while.

When he awoke, he was in a state of shock. His arms were wrapped around his young companion.

"What are you doing here?" Snape asked, much too shocked to feign any anger.

But the fact that Snape sounded angry at all was enough for Harry.

"What am I doing here? What am I doing here? You dragged me on the bed with you." Harry accused.

"Was it really that bad?"

"I never knew that you were such a nancy boy." Harry retorted and Snape flushed.

"Why? Is it that wrong to you?" Snape asked.

"I never said there was anything wrong about it." Harry said confused with Snape's behavior.

"Is it true that you have feelings for me?"

"W-What?" Harry asked face flushing a deep crimson.

"Do you have feelings for me?"

"No of course not, where did you come to that conclusion?"

"Some things that were said." Snape replied coolly.

"From that clone that I duelled with over a month ago?"

"I never did tell you what spell I used, did I?" Snape drawled. "It's called Contracorpus. It causes a mirror image of the victim to be conjured. An evil mirror image of yourself."

"What about it?"

"It does just that, conjures a mirror version of someone. The only thing that changes in the conjured clone is the bearing in which it lies. It will always be opposed to the person on which it is based upon however it has the same thoughts and motivations as you do. It just expresses them differently and I can't help but wonder..." Snape inquired intensely. "Whether or not you harbour those kind of feelings for me."

Harry was quiet for a moment, and in an instant it had hit him. Snape was already clued in on his feelings for the man but that didn't explain why there had been none of this confrontation earlier.

"And just how were you able to deduce that conclusion? The way you state that it's as if you aren't quite certain about that." Harry said, carefully making sure his voice sounded more certain then he had felt.

It would be a long shot but with what he had deduced if there hadn't been a confrontation right after that episode with his clone, Snape was only guessing.

"So to sum it up, you're going out with Miss Granger." Snape asked coldly.

"No, we're just friends." Harry retorted angrily without thinking.

"And us?" Snape asked drawing eerily closer to Harry.

Harry looked at Snape like a deer in headlights. Snape pulled Harry towards his lips.

The kiss was quite passionate. Harry gasped and Snape's tongue began to search his mouth attentively causing Harry to groan loudly.

Snape moved away and left Harry flush against the wall.

After kissing Charlie on the lips, Snape had left the room in a flash. He wondered what had compelled him to kiss those luscious red lips.

The feeling it had left was sizzling hot and bittersweet.

At first he thought that Charlie would pull away under the pretense that he was homophobic.

Oh Charlie did struggle, but it was a futile effort at most. Eventually the effort ended with Charlie leaning into his warm embrace, meeting squarely with his vigorous mouth.

But what if Charlie truly did love him in that way? He was magically 21 according to the medi-witch, and Charlie was only three years older than him.

Technically it was never a big issue when a 75 year old witch went out with a 100 year old wizard anyways. Even if he was 56 years old and Charlie was 24, it would have been alright.

Though it would have been a major problem though if the both of them had fallen in love much younger. As a member of the Wizarding Staff, he couldn't have an affair with a male student until after they had turned 18.

Of course, he could have gone with a female student when she turned 16, but then he never had those kind of feelings for any of the female students. He did have feelings for Lily though and Snape wondered why he had kissed those lips.

Harry couldn't process what had just occurred. Did Snape just kiss him? He certainly remembered lips meeting his own. He had a desire to pull away as well.

He had tried to get away from the man, but he slowly began to lose all feelings in his limbs.

His body was paralysed as Snape's lips had met his own. A small surge of desire began to cloud half of his brain.

He could taste bile on the tip of his tongue and the mouth was wet and hot. It certainly wasn't the taste of his mouth that had attracted him.

The brute force in which Snape had taken his own mouth was very forceful. As he tried to struggle, Snape seemed to move along with him.

The blows in which he had tried to inflict onto Snape hadn't been dodged or parried. They had been full on and Snape met his power full throttle.

Snape had left after their kiss and Harry was stunned to find that it wasn't a mental paralysis but rather a physical one.

At some point, Harry had regained feeling in his legs and treaded towards the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey looked wearily at Harry.

"What wrong?"

"I-I don't know what happened,"

"Oh dear there is a prominent magical aura encompassing you, Mr. Prewett." Pomfrey said worriedly. "It looks alot like the beginnings of a soul bonding spell."

"Well, I did have a magical bonding with Hamila."

"Whose Hamila?"

"My pet snake."

"No, it isn't that kind of bonding that I'm seeing." Pomfrey explained. "This bonding will eventually combine your magical signature with that of your reciprocal. It's a bonding of soul mates in every magical sense of the word."

"So there really are two types of soul-mates," Harry replied, struck by a revelation.

"One type of bonding is done through magical signatures, the other type is done through magical impulses, which are read by measuring magical waves." Pomfrey explained. "Take off your shirt."

Madam Pomfrey placed a weird sticking gadget onto Harry's chest: one on his forehead, one on both sides of his cheeks and one on his stomach. She hooked up some wires hanging from a monitor and stuck them through the holes in the sticking gadget.

The monitor began to beep wildly. However as a wave was drawing the beat of Harry's magic, it remained consistently above a high threshold.

"Your magical impulses are chaotic a lot like Ginny Weasley's, notice the rate in which your magic pulses," Madam Pomfrey pointed to the degree in which the waves increased on the monitor. "But your magical signature radiates a lot of power similar to Severus Snape's. Which is why you magical impulses don't experience a severe drop below a certain threshold. The type of bond between you and Miss Weasley thus would be a lot more different then what you had with Severus Snape, it was probably more of an emotional bond. "

"Yeah that sounds about right, but how did this happen?"

"Well, I don't know. What was the difference between today and yesterday?"

"I was meeting Hermione at the Three Broomsticks late that evening. Then Severus joined us at the bar. Then the next day he starts asking about my feelings for him, after he practically forced me on his bed." Harry retorted angrily.

"Have you ever had a conversation like this before?"

"Yeah, last time he was concerned when I was dancing with Draco."

"Did the same things occur?"

"No,"

"What was different?"

Harry attempted to rummage through his thoughts.

"Well it was at the Malfoys and Snape never got drunk or dragged me upon his bed."

"Did you happen to wear that ring as well?" Pomfrey asked, pointing to the golden object encasing his middle finger.

"No, I didn't." Harry replied in horror.

"That happens to be Solomon's ring," Pomfrey explained. "It's said to grant you the ability to talk to animals and give you knowledge. It also has a lingering side effect of initiating soul bonds."

"Really, then why would Salazar Slytherin have it in his possession." Harry asked. "In my world, he has the ability to speak parseltongue so he can talk to snakes."

"Maybe Salazar was after the knowledge one would gain with possession of that ring." Pomfrey replied gravely. "The artifact could possibly be dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands."

"What do we do to get rid of the soul bond?"

"Do you really want to get rid of it? The effects of such a bond are very advantageous, especially sense it is a bonding of magical signatures." Poppy said.

"What kind of advantages?"

"Such a bond increases your magical abilities, and your magical influence on one another."

"How would that be advantageous to _**me**_?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Most people in your kind of situation Mr. Prewett, have a difficulty controlling their magic particularly after an emotionally scarring event." Madam Pomfrey explained. "When magic becomes chaotic, the other party can calm it down so to speak."

Harry gulped uncomfortably.

"These kind of bonds usually require mutual consent and if you ever decide to go through with the bond Mr Potter, a third party should be present to prevent disasters."

During the following week, Harry met Hermione at the Hogsmeade train station.

Harry almost didn't recognise her as he never noticed her much without having some kind of reading material in her hands.

Later that evening he walked up to the Potter's quarters with Hermione at his side.

He murmured the password and was admitted entrance.

First glance of the room and Harry felt his heart beat faster, the room was decorated was such effort. He remembered Molly use to put such efforts in his meals over his summers at the Dursleys.

On the side of the room stood a small Christmas tree with different colored ornaments, and silver and gold fleece.

A couple of presents were below the tree, and several stockings hung from the fireplace.

/Lily, James...Charlie./ Harry thought, feeling a light warmth engulf his chest after he looked at the last stocking. He felt so happy, if only Ginny were here to see this.

Harry took a seat next to Sirius who sat between him and Remus.

Hermione though had remained standing, not wanting to overstay her welcome.

James and Lily seemed to be whispering amongst each other for a moment. They were the first to give their present. James had stepped forward representing the two of them, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden snitch.

"This here was my first snitch, Charlie." James explained. "And I want you to have it."

Harry took the flying object in his hands and placed it into a pocket in his trousers.

"Thanks, that means a lot to me." Harry said looking up to meet his father's eyes and James knew he was sincere.

Lily hugged him tightly before backing away.

Hermione watched the scene unfold, piecing together clues. Who was Charles Prewett?

/Is that even his real name?/ she thought to herself.

His appearance was remarkably similar to that of James Potter. If Charlie smiled a particular way, Hermione would almost say that their facial features were similar. Then there was the matter of the man's green eyes. The eyes were the exact same shape and color as her ex-potions professor.

Not to mention, she never knew the Potters had a sentimental side. For Merlin's sake, they treated him like their own son.

As she analysed her thoughts, she gathered that her conclusion was ridiculous but at the same time plausible. Could it be possible that Charles Prewett was their son?

She was quite certain that Harry Potter had died a while ago. While she did watch Doctor Who every now and then, she wasn't quite ready to accept that the concept of alternate realities was possible in the wizarding world despite the fact that she had traveled through time on more than one occasion but looking at the man again, it all just seemed to fit all too well.

The scene fit far too comfortably to be anything less than a coincidence. How did Charles Prewett, who she had never seen before in her entire life manage to bring feelings of love within the Potters? If the man before him was Harry Potter and the concept of alternate universes did exist, how did he get here? How was he alive? How had he managed to dodge death at such a close encounter?

Harry happened to look back towards her direction and his eyes grew wide at the thoughtful glance laced with realisation. He could only look at her with defeat as she seemed to realize the front that Harry had conjured.

Hermione's eyes replied at his look of defeat with an inquiring glance but Harry ignored it not willing to indulge Hermione's curiosity quite yet.

Lily had vanished in the kitchen and Harry had some inconveniences to take care of.

Before he headed towards the bathroom, he saw Remus holding out a gift.

"Harry, I wanted to give this to you. I can't replace the relationship I had with you in the alternate universe but I can give you this. It's the least I could do."

Harry looked at the gift and then directly at Remus. His smile was strained a lot like when he started to date Tonks.

Harry couldn't help but wonder why before he took the gift.

"Thanks."

It was then he had vanished.

End Notes:

1. Hamila belongs to Iago96. It isn't my creation.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Harry nearly stumbled on the gravel floors of a dark dungeon where several death eaters surrounded him.

He instantly recognised Lucius Malfoy amongst them, an old man with a receding hair line stepped from the circle of death eaters holding a pile of fluff.

Harry's blood chilled at the sight, he knew better to think that the particular ball of fluff was harmless. He knew all about that particular ball of fluff his fourth year.

The particular ball of fluff was Lord Voldemort wrapped in fine blankets. Harry wondered if he would be able to cover his eyes the moment Voldemort used that dark ritual again.

Certainly it was scarring enough to see him in the nude.

/Now, Now, this isn't the time for humor./ Harry thought.

"I've take it you've brought the bone, Amycus?" Voldemort's voice chilled the whole room.

"Yes, Sir," A plump woman who looked like an old hag stepped forward.

"Bella, I take it you have developed the potion?"

"Yes, my lord." Bellatrix said besides her master and his servant.

"Then restrain, Mr. Harry Potter."

"How-d,"

"You honestly think I'm that stupid, boy?" Lord Voldemort asked. "I have followers in the most unexpected places. Though what I've heard recently is quite astounding, you were once a horcrux to my counter-part correct."

Amycus and Alecto stood at Harry's side and attempted to restrain him.

"ANSWER ME, BOY!" An angry voice wrung out.

Amycus clinched Harry's jaw, then Bellatrix uncorked the potion's vial and forced it down the boy's throat.

Harry relaxed after the effort breathing a sigh of relief until his head began to feel really hot and his body broke out in a cold sweat.

A cold chill past through Harry, and he began to scream as his body began to swallow something vile and a horrid pain flashed through his forehead

The old man with the receding hairline handed the ball of fluff to Bellatrix and went straight up to boy with a rusty dagger and pierced the man's skin.

Blood went into the vial and then the man cut off his left hand and put it into the cauldron pouring the blood along with it.

Bellatrix tossed the baby into the cauldron. Then it began to bubble.

When Voldemort had emerged from the Cauldron, he stepped up towards the young man piercing him with a horrid glance.

Flashes of thoughts stirred through his head, as he practiced legilimency on Harry.

Harry if anything had disastrous abilities with Occlumency so it was hardly effortless to resist.

Voldemort seemed to be triumphant afterward, if it eased any of Harry's worries he hoped that he hadn't saw any of the last two memories.

One of the memories revealed Snape's true allegiances to Dumbledore.

The second memory revealed the destruction of the horcruxes in both his world and in Voldemort's world.

As far as he was concerned the only knowledge Voldemort had was the fact that Harry had once been a horcrux and that he had supposedly defeated Lord Voldemort in his seventh year.

He didn't seem to know that Harry had destroyed all of his horcruxes in his world and that Voldemort was doomed to tread the paths between life and death, never witnessing the blessing of dying or turning into a ghost.

Lucius Malfoy with his wand towards Harry's back led him towards a cellar. Completely at Lucius' mercy he complied, because he was blind.

The blinding charm was removed and Harry felt disoriented. He looked around, it looked a lot like Malfoy Manor. He had remembered staying here during his seventh year with Luna and Oliviander.

Harry felt around his pockets, unfortunately the death eaters had taken his wand. He attempted to cast a lumos wandlessly.

The light from his hands was dim, and Harry winced as the light seemed to burn his skin.

He needed a favorable outlet for his magic or the effects of the magic instantaneous otherwise, his hand would suffer the consequences.

A moan could be heard at the far end of the dungeon. Draco Malfoy began to grimace in a troubled sleep.

"What are you doing here?" Draco said as he felt something rouse him from sleep. He instantly looked into the emerald green eyes of Charles Prewett.

"I could ask you the same question." Harry said.

"Unfortunately my father couldn't except my cowardice and sent me to the dungeons and you?"

"Ever heard of Harry James Potter?"

Draco nodded.

"Don't bloody ask." Harry said quite exhausted.

"You are related to Coach Potter?" Draco asked, blurting out in surprise.

"What about it?" Harry asked leaning against the wall.

"That's impossible, you can't be his son. He died over a decade ago."

"Unfortunately that isn't the case and I believe the two of us may be in grave danger if we don't escape."

"Have you grown younger lately? You seem a little off color."

"I don't know, I mean have you ever experienced that snake head in your brain?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were age regressed." Draco replied.

"I am bloody age regressed, you idiot." Harry retorted angrily shaking Draco roughly.

The movement caused the snitch to erupt from his trouser pocket.

/Hush, now some of us are trying to get some sleep./ Hamila murmured on his back.

But Harry wasn't paying attention to the snake as he took hold of the snitch.

"What are you going to do?" Draco asked.

"Well, I have to get help-"

"Forget it, the only person who can enter the Manor unscathed is Snape." Draco replied.

"It certainly can't hurt to try,"

Draco just continued to stare at him as if he lost his marbles.

"Incendio," Harry said, hot magic emitting from his fingers as he etched a message on the snitch for Snape. The burns on Harry's fingers smarted and Harry sent the snitch to Snape.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Nearing the whomping willow was a golden snitch which seemed to hover in the air like a bumblebee.

Ever since the raid of the Ministry, Hogwarts had taken extra precautions by sealing up most of the gaps in the Castle's protection with powerful wards.

It was that morning that most of the Hogwarts staff were in the great hall eating breakfast when the golden snitch had entered through the Potter's quarters near the Astronomy tower.

After all it was the only gap in which the golden snitch could access.

It began to hover all the way to the Great Hall as Mr. Thomas had opened the two great doors that guarded the students from intruders.

There was a loud buzzing in his ears, as Severus Snape looked around and tried to pinpoint the irritant.

James Potter however more sharper than Severus Snape grabbed the air in a swing.

Snape looked at Potter in annoyance. Potter unfolded his hands, and his eyes widened.

He turned and grabbed Snape violently. With a very low voice coated with anger James emitted his words.

"Where's Charlie?" He asked angrily.

"What are you talking about?"

"I will not repeat myself again. Where's Charlie?" Potter asked, and he raised his fist about to punch Snape.

"Gentleman, stop this at once."

"He was taken by Voldemort." Potter said.

"Do you have any proof that Severus may have taken Mr. Prewett to Lord Voldemort?

"No, but it doesn't change the fact that he may need our help."

"Did he send you a message?"

James handed the golden snitch to Dumbledore.

Charlie-

I have been captured by Lord Voldemort and taken to Malfoy Manor. I am currently wandless and I'm here with Draco Malfoy.

"Has Mr. Prewett been noted to use wandless magic?" Dumbledore asked to no one particular.

"No, but he's very tolerant of the Cruciatus curse," Severus popped in.

"And how do you know that, Snape? If I find out that you've hurt him in anyway-"

"Gentlemen, we'll need to prepare an infiltration to obtain Mr. Prewett. Severus, you I believe are the only one able to infiltrate the Manor. We'll start immediately."

"Are you really Potter's son?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Harry replied gritting his teeth irritably.

Draco did a once over.

"I see, now that I look at you, the resemblance seems uncanny,"

"How do you think Voldemort discovered who I was?"

"Well, without further scrutiny I don't think Voldemort would easily be able to deduce that you are Harry Potter. So my guess...is that someone has betrayed you." Draco said. "Of course the person who betrayed you would have to know that you were from an alternate universe and that you destroyed the Dark Lord in your world."

"I see." Harry said flatly.

"So how were we like in your world?" Draco asked.

"You were a major git, a notable coward and wasn't past letting anyone fight your own battles for you. No offense."

"None taken."

"What about Severus?

"He was the potions professor at Hogwarts and head of the Slytherins. He was noted for being quite nasty to his students."

"But you don't think he's nasty, do you?" Draco inquired and flashed a small smile when he saw Harry flush red.

"I've had years to change my opinion, he was at least bearable in my world." Harry pointed out. "Here we seem to be thrown together way too often. While I have the feeling he may be suppressing murderous desires, his underlying behavior seems almost sympathetic."

As the time seemed to pass much too slowly, Harry simply entertained himself by thinking of worse possible case scenarios and preparing his mind and body. Draco on the other hand seemed to be looking futilely for an escape route though he must have check around more than a thousand times.

"So when do you think the old man will come rescue us, Harry?" Draco asked.

"These sort of things take time, Draco." Harry said. "Also I'd prefer for you not to use my real name. Everyone knows me as Charlie and I intend to keep it that way."

"Everyone including Severus?"

"It would be such a nasty shock to him. He may not be able to leave the medical ward." Harry explained. "Also I'd want him at least sane when Madam Pomfrey tells him about our encounter with bond magic."

"YOU INITIATED A SOUL BOND?" Draco asked loudly and Harry closed his mouth with his hand.

"You mustn't tell anyone, Draco." Harry whispered cuttingly. "Especially not Severus."

A metal clang could be heard quite suddenly and Harry and Draco stood up.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, and Draco looked out the high window.

Outside the barred window, Severus Snape and James Potter were arguing with one another over competence however Snape managed to uncurse the barred window and James melted the bars.

"Charlie, Charlie, are you there?" James asked.

"I'm right here." Harry replied.

Snape and his father were puzzled. To Snape, the voice sounded alot like a little kid voice.

"Why can't I see you?" James asked.

"I'm down here."

Draco then had taken the liberty of picking up Harry in his arms, bridal style causing Harry to flush red.

"Put me down, Draco" Harry said. "Draco, put me down." Harry kicked his legs till Draco dropped him harshly.

Snape looked at the boy with horror at the same time.

"Voldemort did it." Harry replied to Snape's expression. "He's back."

"So I've heard." Snape said fisting his dark mark with his hands.

Down in the dungeons though Harry could hear a faint stomping sound get louder and louder.

"Take Draco with you." Harry said. "You won't have time to rescue me. They are coming."

Snape had wanted to refuse but Harry had already set to action. The desire to protect the man had only grown stronger with his regressed age as it had seemed to ignite a sentimental side of him.

Draco stumbled across the rough terrain finally able to lift his body into the small hole. Snape and James had helped Draco get to safety.

"Now get out of here." Harry said just as Lucius Malfoy made his way down the stairs to the dungeons.

"Mr. Potter, I believe the dark lord wants to see you." Lucius unlocked the barred door with a pair of silver keys and gripped Harry's arm after casting another blinding charm.

After a faint rush of dizziness, Harry had known they were back in Little Hangleton.

Once the blinding charm was removed he was stunned to see Remus Lupin in front of him wand pointed at him.

"Remus?" Harry asked. "Remus, why-?"

Remus took ahold of Harry's arm and led him to Lord Voldemort who looked at him with narrow red eyes.

"Why Mr. Potter you seem very surprised?"

"I thought..."

"Lupin has his debt to owe."

Harry looked at Remus in horrified of this awful betrayal. He never wanted to believe that Remus knew that he had given Harry a portkey, but now the evidence was more clearer than ever. There was an abnormality on the corner of his vision though that had distracted Harry, a piece of wood out of place.

'Hamila, Hamila.' Harry thought.

'What is it, Master?' Hamila asked.

'I need you to investigate that piece of wood in front of me, if you discover a ring with a blue stone destroy to keep hidden too. If you can try to obtain the stone from the ring.'

Hamila slinked off of Harry's back and onto the floor, it began to slither quietly and noone noticed it move under the floorboards and obtain the Gaunt ring. She sank her fangs into the ring effectively destroying it and took the stone in her mouth before she slinked up Harry's shins and relaxed on his back.

"Well, why don't we get this over with." Voldemort said pointing his wand at Harry. A light object of a solid amount of weight landed in his hands, and the whispered words, Abrakadabra, alakazam.

"Avada-"

"Abrakadabra, alakazam." Harry said along with another voice.

When Harry had recovered he discovered that they were in a forest.

"Harry," A strenuous voice said, attempting to grab Harry's arm. Harry however flinched.

"Don't touch me, Remus."

"It was the only way, Harry."

"So you mean when you gave me your gift you used a portkey to bring to Voldemort."

Remus looked at Harry stunned.

"I didn't send you the portkey." Remus said. "Miss Edgecombe gave it to me, she said she wanted to give you a Christmas present."

"Then what did you mean when you said it was the only way?" Harry asked.

"I meant the only way to get rid of my curse once and for all." Remus replied.

Harry looked confused.

"I know you've heard the story about my encounter with Greyback but do you happen to know how he became a werewolf?"

With Harry's silence, Lupin continued.

"Fenrir Greyback was once a dark wizard. As I know you heard Professor Flamel say that some magic is categorised under the rules of equivalent exchange. What makes magic truly dark is when one abuses it to such a point that the consequences are weighed heavily on their soul." Lupin explained. "The darkness corrupted him and made him bloodthirsty. There is no cure for lycanthropy, even wolfsbane can't fully stabilize the wolf. There is only two ways to permanently release the curse. A silver arrow would do best to kill werewolves. Then there is remorse, such a process is very painful."

Harry looked at Remus stunned. Remus was grabbing at his stomach which Harry assumed was in pain. But Harry winced and paled when he saw tacky red blood coating his hands.

'It wasn't the mental remorse that was painful, it was the physical toll such a remorse would feel on his own body.' Harry thought.

"I have been working for Dumbledore for years, working for Voldemort. I won't do it anymore."

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked but Remus was silent.

After they had began walking through the forest, the gate of Hogwarts soon stood before them.

"Could you cast your patronus charm? or should I?" Remus asked.

"No, unless you want to give Snape some hint that I am actually related to the Potters." Harry replied.

"Expecto patronum." Remus chanted. Harry took note of the white creature that erupted from his wand. At first Harry had thought it was a wolf however squinting upon it he could see the grim.

It ran clumsily to the castle.

Soon Harry was greeted by his godfather with his long curly black hair. His wand slowly opened the gates.

When Harry and Remus had safely arrived on Hogwarts grounds, Sirius proceeded to punch Lupin across the face.

Lupin fell to the ground, clutching his face painfully. "Did you really have to do that, Sirius?"

"Don't Sirius me."

"What did I do?"

"You lied to me for starters." Sirius explained. "You told us that Harry had left for the night."

"I didn't want you to worry." Lupin said.

Sometime however Harry had met the eyes of his godfather as he looked worriedly at him.

"Are you alright, Harry?"

"I'm fine. Pomfrey may have to heal some minor injuries though." Harry said as he clutched his hands.

Sirius walked to him, and carefully grasped the hand and gasped as dark black burns were at the tip of his fingers.

"Go right now, don't let me stop you." Sirius encouraged, then Harry ran into the castle.

As Harry took a step into the hospital wing, he allowed Madam Pomfrey to move him to the bed.

Madam Pomfrey swiped her wand over the boy's body doing a recent diagnostic exam.

"It's my belief that you have been administered a standard deaging potion with strengthening properties. If what you say is correct, then perhaps You-know-who wanted some kind of insurance."

She held his wrist and began to heal his blackened fingers.

Harry gritted his teeth, he already knew what kind of insurance that Lord Voldemort had wanted. He wanted to make sure that he had a lifeline and keeping the horcrux, Voldemort could always use him in order to resurrect himself.

Madam Pomfrey handed him a calming draught. "You need to rest for a bit. You are overexerted."

The moment the boy had entered the castle, Madam Pomfrey had flooed him telling him to watch her patient in the Medical ward.

Severus Snape who was grateful to be free from insulting the current uninsulted, didn't particularly mind going to the hospital wing, if it meant he could see Charlie again.

Once Snape had entered the wing, he took a seat next to Charlie's bed. The boy happened to be sleeping.

Madam Pomfrey had told him that he had been deaged. Unfortunately unlike the shrinking solution it's antidote required daisies which grew in the spring. The particular caterpillar used in shrinking solutions also thrived in the spring. Snape had no stocks of either the catepillars or the daisies.

He carefully scrutinixed the boy in bed, instinctively running his fingers against a loose lock of hair which conceiled a lightning bolt scar.

Looking at the boy he almost looked like James Potter, there was just no denying that fact and there was something bothering him with how the Potters had treated the young man.

Groaning as he stretched his stenuous muscles, Harry noticed a tall glass of water on the side of his bed. On the corner of his vision Severus Snape looked at him deadpanned.

"Would you like a drink?" Snape asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Harry replied and took the glass of water in his hands. He brought the beverage to his lips, pondering that this was the first time he had ever trusted anything Snape had given to him.

Slowly the world began to dull.

Snape looked at the boy in deep contemplation. He seemed satisfied with the cloudy look in the boy's eyes.

"Who are you?" Snape asked growling slightly.

"Harry-Harry Potter." The boy said unconsciously.

"You-You're Harry Potter?" Snape asked stuttering incredulously. "That's impossible."

The boy didn't seem to acknowledge it.

"How did you get here?"

"I don't know, I think I was pulled backwards into a mirror of some sort."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I think Snape was trying to protect me."

"You know me?"

"You were potions professor at Hogwarts."

"Impossible." Snape said. "How-"

"You were to protect me. You promised Dumbledore you'd protect me for Lily."

Snape flushed, so their son had known of his ambitions still...

"Who else knows about your predicament?" Snape asked.

"Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sinistra, Professor Vector, Madam Pomfrey, Mr. Oliviander, Lord Voldemort, Professor Lupin, Sirius Black, Draco Malfoy, Molly Weasley, my father and my mother."

"And is it safe to assume that the Dark Lord was dead in your world?"

"Yes."

"How did he die?"

"We destroyed the fragments of his soul placed in seven horcruxes?"

_**"My g-d," **_Snape said his face paleing. Just what were they up against.

"Why did the dark lord capture you?"

"He knows that I am after the horcruxes so he tried to stop me."

Finally after all his important questions were answered, he found his heart thumping wildly pondering about his feelings for the boy and contemplating whether the boy had reciprocated them. It didn't matter that it was Potter's son, if anything the revelation made him love the boy more.

"What do you feel for me?" Snape asked his final question.

"I like you and I respect you." Harry replied.

When Harry awoke he felt something akin to nausea and his throat very sore.

Beside him Snape seemed quiet and ponderous somehow and the expression on his face was longing.

Though Harry had a right to complain, he felt that if he had told Snape to leave he probably wouldn't have left anyhow.

Madam Pomfrey had come in and looking at his pale face, she asked him if he was feeling alright.

"My throat feels sore and I feel dizzy." Harry said.

The nurse then waved her wand over the patient and her face etched anger.

She left the room and came back with a creamy white potion.

"Swallow that." She said.

Harry had never seen a potion look quite like that and it had a distinct taste of coconut.

It was noted that Harry felt much better.

"You were dosed with Veritaserum," Madam Pomfrey explained.

Then it dawned on Harry who could have dosed him.

He turned to Snape.

"What did you ask?" Harry inquired.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I am talking about." Harry's voice lowered a margin, the tone icy cold.

"Oh really I wasn't under the impression, that most people already knew what you were talking about."

"For goodness sake, do you really have stoop so low?"

"I don't like being uninformed of such predicaments and I was beginning to think of you in such high regards."

"I never asked you to." Harry replied. "And why do you always have to pin the blame on me?"

Snape immediately quieted. "For all I know most of what you said was dishonest anyhow. You have been shown to be extremely capable of defending yourself when the situation calls for it."

"I was defenceless," Harry retorted. "I had no time to fabricate any sort of mental shield and even if I did, I would have never guessed that my dear friend would dose me with veritaserum."

"Sorry." Snape said and for the first time it sounded sincere.

"Now can I trust you to keep a secret, Snape?" Harry asked condescendingly.

Snape feeling quite insulted with Harry's tone of voice, stooped to Harry's level and whispered in his ear, "_**Harry**_, have I ever given you the impression I couldn't?"

The voice caused a chill down his spine.

Later after Snape had left, Remus and Sirius came in the room. An owl perched on Sirius' shoulder. It looked alot like Hedwig, but deep down Harry could never forget how much the owl had meant to him.

To name any particular owl Hedwig Harry felt, would be very insulting.

Remus and Sirius had decided to give Harry his late Christmas present.

Harry decided to call his owl, Archimedes. Harry had read that it was what Merlin called his owl.

"I heard Snape tried to give you veritaserum," Sirius said.

"Yeah, he did."

"But I've never been under the impression that you never could defend against it." Remus added.

"I'm terrible at Occlumency," Harry explained.

"Who'd you learn it from?" Remus asked.

"Snape."

"That greasy git." Sirius muttered under his breath.

"I have a feeling that could have been a worst case scenario." Lupin said. "You and Severus awaken emotions in one another. It's at these vulnerable points that both of you are unable to focus enough to fabricate mental shields."

"That would explain why he couldn't use legilimency during my third year."

"In conclusion it always comes to the matter of whose the right teacher for you." Lupin said absently stroking Harry's shoulder.

Several days later, Professor Sinistra came in clinging tightly to a tall stalky man enough to make him wince.

For a moment, Harry almost felt sorry for Snape. Sinistra's face was tight with a strenuous emotion.

"Professor Sinistra," Harry looked up. "How was your holidays?"

"Never mind about that." Aurora said. "I've decided to come a little early, I was just talking to Professor Snape. It seems you've had a run in with You-know-who?"

"That's right."

"What did he do?"

"He gave me a deaging potion. Aurora, he knows."

Aurora took a side glance at Snape, her expression apprehensive.

"Don't worry, he knows." Harry said to Aurora referring to Snape.

"Just making sure." Aurora mumbled and Snape managed to get out of her tight lockgrip on his collar. "So he knows about your special circumstances."

"I think he has a spy at Hogwarts." Harry commented.

"And who do you suspect?" Snape asked.

"The Defence against the Dark Arts teacher." Harry said. "Professor Edgecombe."

"And where is your basis for your accusations?"

"If Voldemort has indeed created horcruxes here as he has in my world, then he has the same motivations as his counter part and thus has wanted the DADA post at some point." Harry explained. "And Voldemort has cursed that position ever since. Every teacher has had some dark secret that becomes exposed by the end of the year, you see."

"Ah, so that explains it." Aurora popped in.

"I can't possibly return to my world now with Voldemort alive. If he was any worse than he was in my world." Harry said. "And now that he could possibly have knowledge to control the entire universe he must be destroyed."

"But this isn't your fight, Charlie."

"Yes it is, the moment he decided to capture me was when it turned personal and if I could protect all potential universes from a great evil such as Lord Voldemort himself then it would be worth it." Harry said. "If I return now, I suspect it would mean great chaos to Professor Snape."

Snape looked at Harry shocked.

"No, not you. The Snape in my world. I believe Voldemort may have created another horcrux."

"To place a horcrux in an unstable host is exceedingly arrogant." Snape shot out snidely. "If my allegences shed any light on the situation."

"Yes, that would probably explained why I arrived here instead of the bottom of a gravesite." Harry said. "Sharp as Voldemort may be, I do believe I'm keeping more than enough secrets and if it is alright with you Severus I'd like to learn Occlumency."

Aurora gasped.

"You already know Occlumency." Snape replied flabbergasted.

"My abilities are limited." Harry retorted.

"Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?" Aurora asked. "Am I the only one who doesn't know?"

"I haven't told everyone." Harry said. "Snape just guessed."

Snape seemed to raise an eyebrow at that.

"You are the only accomplished occlumens I know and I'd prefer you teach me."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "Why me? Why not have _**Lupin**_ teach you?"

Harry's eyes widened at Snape's expression, it was an expression of bone-chilling anger. He had only been recently aware that Lupin had in fact learned Occlumency. Even on his world he had never knew that Remus had even learned it. It was notably a dark art, and such wasn't in the school curriculum.

He hadn't asked Remus to teach him Occlumency because while he had already forgiven Professor Lupin for bringing him to Voldemort, he still couldn't help but feel a bit leery in Lupin's presence. He was in Snape's as well, but he had asked Snape mostly Harry suspected it was because of the nagging side of his brain that was curious about his strong feelings for him.

"You were eavesdropping." Harry said.

Snape stood like a deer in headlights.

"Why Snape, are you jealous?" Harry asked huskily.

Snape looked at him first with shock and then anger for letting his face be read so easily.

"Never." Snape replied sharply.

Harry woke up the next day, Archimedes had fluttered in the hospital ward with a newspaper in his hands.

The parchment landed on Harry's bed. Harry took the paper in his hands.

"THE BOY WHO DIED HAS RETURNED.

Charles Prewett, 24, is believed to be Harry Potter. As you well know, the young boy died the night of October 31, 1981 and succeeded by his parents, James and Lily Potter..."

"Oh, shite." Harry groaned.

Just then the medical ward opened, and Albus Dumbledore appeared. The Potters soon followed along with Professor Severus Snape.

"Harry, I believe there is some concern with the main points of this article." Dumbledore said. "You were captured by Voldemort several days ago, then return age regressed. Is there something you'd like to tell us?"

Snape gave Harry an 'I told you so' look. However it failed to make Harry ashamed, because it was quite frank that Dumbledore had once insured a lot of manipulation was involved to make Harry as miserable as possible.

"It was a trap, Voldemort..." Harry started before everyone besides Dumbledore flinched. "has been resurrected and he knew my true identity."

"That's impossible." James said. "Voldemort's dead."

"No, he isn't. You'd know that though, wouldn't you Albus?" Harry said, staring at the headmaster.

"I'm afraid, Harry is right. Voldemort is alive again. Though Harry I am curious how you've managed to escape unscathed."

"I didn't. He managed to dose me with an age regression potion making it easier to obtain my blood for his temporary resurrection potion ."

"But why?"

"Perhaps it was a desire to rid the wizarding world of a dire threat."

"But the prophesy said..."

"You aren't sure what the prophesy could have been referring to. It could have been referring to my counterpart and it could have easily been referring to Neville or me...since I am the boy-who-lived in my own world."

"Am I hearing this right? You seem to be implying that similar circumstances have happened here." James said.

"I managed to destroy two of his horcruxes before he suspected anything. I had Hamila destroy the ring at Little Hangleton."

"How Slytherin of you, Potter." Snape noted.

"Well, I figured before I left at the very least that I destroy any horcruxes in my path." Harry said. "I was planning on telling you where the rest of them were kept."

"...but you were captured." Snape completed.

"So you've been destroying reminants of Lord Voldemort this entire time." James asked.

"Yeah, it wasn't that hard. It was surprisingly easy to do."

"You were going to leave so soon?" Lily asked. "but Aurora said that the project wasn't getting anywhere."

"That was due to a slight miscalculation. We've made a lot of developments since then. I merely needed to check the arithmatic value of his life line and see when it would be safe for him to travel back to his universe without the severe reprecussions of death."

"Septima would be impressed."

"Aurora told her. She seemed awfully impressed with Hamila's theory on dimensional travel. Apparently mirrors were a common fad of the 9th century."

"Isn't that the same Hamila that destroyed the ring at Little Hangleton?" James asked.

"No, I just happened to name my pet snake after the author of the book on dimensional time travel."

After the discussion, Dumbledore left leaving the four adults behind.

"Why'd you stay for so long?" Lily retorted sternly. Snape shared her concerns.

"Because it's Christmas and it would be my last chance to see you again." Harry said and Lily knelt down and embraced him.

Days later, it became clear to Harry that he had another guest join him in the hospital wing at some point during his recovery in the hospital wing.

Sirius had dropped by the head table and sat between Harry and Snape. Harry thought it had been intentional.

"How are you today, Harry?" Sirius asked.

"Fine, how are you and Rita?" Harry replied miserably.

Sirius cracked in a grin.

"We broke up. I take it you didn't like her."

"She caused nothing but misery in my world. I only tolerated her because of you, Sirius."

"Personally I found her a tad too nosy for my interests." Sirius said. "Did you visit Moony lately? He was in the room right next to yours."

"I couldn't visit him Sirius, I was still recovering from the injury on my hand. Poppy did some wizarding surgery to replace the tips of my fingers that were burnt to crisp." Harry explained.

"Stop by, I'm sure he wouldn't mind a visit by his best friend's son."

"Alright. I take it that it isn't too late to drop by Grimmauld place for the holidays?"

"Does this have anything to do with the iece-pays of oldemort-Vay's oul-says?" Sirius whispered to Harry so only he could hear.

"Yes, I need to speak to Kreacher."

Fortunately Harry was persuasive enough to be allowed to go Grimmauld place. Later during his conversation with Sirius, Snape had joined the conversation insisting he go as well.

Harry could only assume it was these new feelings that Snape had developed for him. Sirius had found him irresistibly cute as a young boy and his mother had found him to be adorably lovable. He hadn't heard an opinion from Snape though.

A day two weeks after Remus had stayed in the hospital wing, Sirius was ready to Floo to Grimmauld place, Remus had insisted he go as well at the verge of tears. The werewolf had left hospital wing earlier that day all of his injuries miraculously healed and he was no longer cursed with lycanthropy.

Sirius had been a great help to ease his discomfort.

He tossed some Floo powder and uttered Grimmauld place before stepping through the fireplace and Remus did the same thing.

Alone with Snape, the older man grabbed upon his right shoulder firmly.

When asked as to why Snape had done such a gesture, he had insisted it was for Harry's protection. Truthfully he thought the real reason was because Snape needed security, if any of his jealousy enforced the fact.

Harry tossed the Floo powder and landed in Grimmauld place. He stumbled when he landed Snape keeping him from falling face first.

The interior of the Black home was ancient and spooky. As Sirius introduced his godson to his house, Harry noticed Remus standing beside Regulus' bedroom in an anxious fit.

Kreacher had been staying in that room since Regulus had died by the lake dragged down by raging inferi.

Oh the misery in which the house elf had to go through. As Harry thought about it, he could only sigh in relief that because the order never used Grimmauld place as their headquarters due to the fact that Sirius was never imprisoned. Mundungus Fletcher never pawned off any of his godfather's possessions.

"Who does this room belong to? Harry asked Sirius in contemplation. He had no idea where Kreacher would be staying at.

"That was my brother's room, nowadays Kreacher stays in there." Sirius explained. "I can tell him to move out if you wish."

"No, that's quite alright." Harry insisted. "Can you call him for me though?"

"Kreacher!" Sirius chimed through the house.

In an instant, Kreacher had appeared. The house elf was just as mean and ugly as he had remembered. His skin was gray and discolored and his expression was enhanced by the tight wrinkling skin etching an angry expression. He was mumbling incoherently under his breath.

"Kreacher, I was wondering if you can allow me entrance to Regulus' quarters." Harry asked.

The house elf looked at Harry in shock and bewilderment at being addressed in such a personal manner.

"You shouldn't address a house elf that way. They don't quite know how to handle it." Sirius uttered.

"My mistake." Harry replied offhandedly, and then after Sirius headed out to his quarters, Harry addressed the house elf once more. "I need to talk to you in Regulus' quarters."

The door to Regulus' quarters were open with the snap of Kreacher's fingers. Harry followed the house elf inside.

"Do you happen to have in your possession a locket per chance? The one that belongs to Regulus Black?"

"Kreacher, doesn't know what you're talking about." The house elf grumbled under his breath.

"Regulus died at the hands of the inferi after obtaining the locket deep within a cauldron in You know who's secret lair,"

Kreacher's expression immediately turned to that of a deep anguish. "Kreacher, tried to save him."

"I know! I want to help you destroy the locket."

"Why?"

"I want to help you avenge your master."

Kreacher vanished for momentarily before returning with the locket dangling from his hands.

"Hamila."

/What is it, Master?/

"I need you to destroy the locket."

The snake slithered down Harry's back.

The unfortunate thing about this horcrux, was that it had to opened in order to be destroyed. Ron had once described the experience to be downright horrifying, witnessing his friends turning out on him.

Nothing Harry experienced could compare.

Upon opening the locket, an image appeared. Severus Snape was being held by the shoulders by none other than Lucius Malfoy.

The two men were drawing closer and Harry thought they were getting ready to kiss.

Harry's heart clinched in fury. Then Lucius' eyes darted in his direction with a smirk in his eyes and he kissed Snape.

Looking upon the two men, Snape had seemed so happy with Lucius. Lucius Malfoy was an attractive guy, and Harry wasn't afraid to admit it. Certainly there was nothing attractive about his own appearance. He had his grandfather's knobbly knees, his father's black disheveled hair, his mother's green eyes, and her puffy cheeks.

The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance had always been his lightning bolt scar. Lucius Malfoy had long vibrant blonde hair, an attractive face drawn attention to solely because of his gray eyes. Harry stared at the blonde in jealousy.

Perhaps he just wasn't in Snape's good taste. Harry would never be enough for ol' Severus Snape but it dawned on him just how much he longed for him to be.

However Harry realized how selfish such a feeling was, and that he had never considered Snape's happiness at all.

Lucius Malfoy placed both of his hands upon his snake cane and unsheathed a silver sword and was just about to kill Snape when...

"STOP!" Harry cried out. "DON'T KILL HIM."

"Why, it's obvious he ain't fit for you, he loves another man. Why shouldn't you get revenge on the man who broke your heart? He'd do the same had it been you. Think about it, why else did he accompany you to Malfoy Manor, it certainly couldn't be because he wanted to protect you."

"NO...he came to protect me." Harry said insistently not convinced by Lucius' speech.

"So then why do you want to kill me?" Snape asked turning towards Hamila.

Hamila poised to strike and Harry's face paled in horror.

"I see taking the coward's way out. I'm disappointed in you."

Just as Hamila was about to strike, Harry closed his eyes face paling with horror.

"STOP!"

/Master?/ Hamila turned her head towards Harry.

"STOP!"

/Why master?/

"Don't kill him."

/Kill who?/

"Don't kill him."

/There's nobody there, master./

"Snape. Don't kill him." Harry said deeply upset.

Strong arms encircled him. "Who are you talking to?"

"Don't kill Snape."

/I won't master, I promise./

Then the snake lunged for the horcrux, her fangs seeping into the locket and destroying it.

Snape and Lucius began to melt.

"You killed him..." Harry said quietly.

/But I didn't master./

"Yes, you did he's gone..." Harry said tears flowing from his eyes.

"No, I'm not." A deep voice reassured him. Arms dragged Harry in a warm embrace. "I won't leave, not anytime soon."

"Snape?"

"I'm here." A voice murmured holding Harry tighter in his embrace.

Harry stilled and seemed to relax in comfort. He turned towards Hamila.

/Did you destroy it, Hamila?/

/Yes, master./

The snake slithered across the floor towards Harry. There was a slight pull on his shoulders like Snape was trying to pull him away.

Harry tried to squirm out of his grip and turned towards Snape to ask what was the matter.

Snape's face was turned to the side, pale with horror.

"Severus, what's the matter?" Harry asked and turned back to the snake. Then it hit him.

"It's alright Snape. Hamila has two eyelids, she only uses her killing gaze to hunt for prey."

"You named her?" Snape asked incredulously. "Danger really does have an attraction to you."

The man froze in fear as somehow the snake managed to shimmy up his body to face the Potions Master.

/He desires to mate with you, Master. I can taste it. Why do you not take him as your mate? I am sure you would have strong young./

/Things are different for humans, Hamila. I cannot simply mate with him. There are other things to consider too. He may desire me but I do not know if he would want me as a mate./

"I take it Parseltongue is another one of your secret abilities?" Snape asked lazily.

"No, that ability was given to me by you-know-who...when I was the boy who lived." Harry said. "Did I change tongues?"

"Only for a moment, once you had better bearing on your surroundings."

"I take it you were able to talk to her previously?" Snape asked.

"Yeah, I went to Slytherin's chambers to fetch basilisk's venom to destroy the horcruxes. I was prepared to confront her in the chamber. I even conjured a mirror. Basilisk's venom is the only thing besides fiendfyre that can destroy them."

"But you obviously didn't destroy the basilisk, so what happened?"

"On one of the statues there was a ring. Madam Pomfrey told me it was Solomon's ring. Apparently it has the ability to grant the wearer the ability to talk to animals and gain wisdom."

Snape paled. "That I'm aware of. I take it you intentionally left out the ability to create soulbonds."

Harry blushed at that. "Yeah."

" So how did you happen to obtain these horcruxes?" Snape inquired, his eyes narrow. Harry was relieved when the previous topic of conversation was forgotten.

"I destroyed the diary after obtaining it from the Malfoys..."

"So that's why you accepted that invitation that Draco sent you." Snape said dawning on the revelation.

"Yeah, it was quite simple to obtain actually."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "You didn't?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You did." Snape said coming to a conclusion. "How particularly Slytherin of you."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"He asked you to dance and you refused unless he took you to their library."

Harry flushed and noticed Snape looked a bit relieved at that revelation.

"After I obtained the diary, I destroyed the diadem that was in the broken vanishing cabinet in my quarters." Harry explained. " Then as you know I was taken to You-know-who and he used a deageing potion to reawaken the horcrux that he involuntarily made when he tried to destroy me."

"Who was the lucky one?" Snape asked suddenly, his eyes gleamed with jealousy.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I take it at some point you've intiated a soulbond of sorts?" Snape drawled. "Who was it?"

Harry bit his lip nervously before speaking, "No one." He said dismissively, pushing Snape aside before leaving the room to talk to Remus and Sirius.

After searching the house for either Remus or Sirius, Harry couldn't find the two men anywhere. He took a break in one of the guest rooms staring out the window towards the dreary background of Grimmauld place.

During the evening, there was a loud knock on the door and Harry answered it.

Sirius Black looked particularly smug as if he made someone bask in defeat. Harry didn't even have to question who because he knew that the only person Sirius would be particularly smug in defeating was Severus Snape.

"Harry, why don't you come downstairs for dinner. Everyone is waiting for you."

Harry complied.

Once he reached the kitchen he was greeted by his mother and father who sat opposite from Snape. Sirius sat at the end of the table and Harry couldn't find the fair-haired Remus anywhere in the room.

"Where's Remus?" Harry asked.

"He said he had something he had to do before joining us for dinner." Sirius explained.

The only empty seat in the kitchen was next to Snape and Harry gulped before taking his seat.

Quickly he scrounged through his meal.

"What's the hurry?" His father inquired.

Harry looked up. "Nothing I'm just a bit tired."

"Perhaps I should join you." Snape said dismissively.

"NO!" Harry and James uttered at once.

"That won't be necessary, Snape." James spat.

"I'd rather be alone." Harry said.

"What's the deal between you two?" James said looking from Harry to Snape, eyes narrow in suspicion.

"There's nothing going on." Harry jibed defensively.

"Severus, I must insist finish your dinner. Harry, I'll see you in the morning." Lily said.

Harry got up from the table and left. "Night...mum." he murmured before exiting the kitchen but not after seeing Snape brooding at the table.

"What was that about?" James asked Lily.

"He called me mum!"

End Notes:

1. Archimedes-I believe this is the name of Merlin's pet owl.

2. Pig latin-Sirius is speaking this.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Harry jolted awake.

Something just didn't seem right.

He attempted to get out of bed. Strong warmth however encircled him.

Harry looked down and saw thin yellow skinned fingers encircled around his waist.

He turned, apparently Snape had joined him at some point in one of the guest rooms. At some point he'd have to deduce which person had been dumb enough to give Snape that information.

Carefully Harry pried the fingers from his waist and stepped out of bed. He quietly tread down the stairs and was startled when he spotted Remus in front of Regulus' room.

"Remus?" Harry whispered.

"Oh, hi Harry."

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"Just reminiscing over old memories." Remus replied sadly.

"Did you know about Regulus?"

"Yeah, he was once my lover." Remus explained. "He disappeared though not long after, I just wish there was some kind of closure so I can move on, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." Harry said, thinking about a time where they had to gather the dead from the second war. Not everyone had been accounted for either.

"Everyone thinks he died." Remus said. "They said he died from a task that was given to him by you-know-who."

Harry hesitated before answering. He could simply tell Remus that Regulus was dead but he was certain if he said so now, he'd shatter the old man.

"Well, I'm certain that if Regulus was a good man, then he would have died brave." Harry said before turning to leave. "See you tomorrow, Remus."

As Harry returned to the guest room, he realized that Snape's form had taken over the entire bed.

Snape, with enough nerve to sneak in his room just to sleep with him when Sirius certainly would have offered a guest room albeit grudgingly but it would have been more satisfiable then what Harry had in store.

A great urge to push Snape off the bed became more desirable as time passed but it could wait. If any of their other secret bedtime encounters made Harry aware of anything, it was the fact that Snape always seemed to be on guard even when asleep.

Something caught the corner of his vision though and Harry turned to see a burnt locket covering a white piece of parchment.

Harry removed the parchment and read the writing scrawled across it.

'Sorry...You forgot this when you left Regulus' rooms.'

Severus~

He looked above the parchment and stared at the locket with a sort of relief and newfound wonder.

Folding the parchment he placed it in a pocket in his trousers and reneged on giving ol' Snape a piece of his mind until morning. He slipped in the covers into the old man's embrace.

As Snape got up the next morning, the first thing he noticed were his arms encircling a sleeping Harry Potter.

It would be awkward if Harry had ever found out that Snape had snuck into his rooms. Though a small part of him did thank Lily for that.

Sirius Black had been discussing where he had looked for Harry and Lily had said that eventually Sirius had found him in a guest room on the top floor.

After she had given him the information, she didn't stop there though. Lily had winked at him...winked.

Of course, Snape wouldn't look into it more than necessary but couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

In the kitchen, he nearly stumbled into someone. A crowd filled the room, Snape spotted Remus Lupin crumpled to the floor one of his hands clutching his chest. Sirius clutched the man's shoulder bracing him so Remus wouldn't fall to the ground.

Madam Pomfrey soon conjured a stretcher and set Remus upon it.

"What happened?" Sirius asked.

"Mr. Lupin snuck out of the hospital wing. He was supposed to be bedridden for another week." Poppy explained. "He has yet to recover from his ordeal."

Suddenly someone gasped and Snape turned noticing Harry look at Remus with deep worry. Oh how the jealousy boiled through his veins.

The boy cut through the crowd and knelt towards Remus clutching his hands.

"He died Remus, he died but he died 'free'." The boy said.

Snape followed Poppy towards the floo network and discovered a soft smile laced the man's face. The man clutched what Snape recognised as the locket that he had given to the boy.

Fury ignited the jealousy pumping within him, but he held desperately onto a more sober feeling.

"I see the two of you are awake. I hope you've had a nice sleep." Albus said from across the room.

The rest of the room's occupants turned towards Snape and Harry. Snape's face was unreadable and Harry could feel his cheeks heat to an unbearable crimson.

"I'll need my staff for the remainder of the term. So I'm sorry if you wished our guests to stay here for a while." Albus explained turning towards Sirius.

"That's fine, Dumbledore."

"We'll take our leave this afternoon."

"Harry, here have some breakfast." Lily said handing Harry a plate of food.

As Harry began picking at his food, he found his thoughts lingering on his wife in the other dimension.

Often during their bed encounters, they would whisper sweet nothings to each other. He would have never known Ginny was so thoughtful.

Then there were times her fury was through the roof. It would be then they would have nice angry bouncing. Harry missed those times.

It clutched at his heart like an arrow stabbing through his back and Snape was just a lingering reminder of what he had missed.

A small part of himself told him he had to distance himself from Severus or else he would be disloyal to his wife.

That afternoon, the moment Snape and Harry returned with floo powder. Snape began to mutter under his breath the inconvience of flooing in the Potter's fireplace. His father in return muttered how Snape always thought the worst of him.

It was lucky however for them that Harry had the last word as he was coated with Bertie's multi-coloured fudge. Grimacing Harry gave the adults a look of fury which caused James to flinch and Snape to stare at him intensely as if seeing him for the first time.

Harry had stared at James for a couple of seconds before the look on Snape's face enticed him. They held each others gaze for the longest time before James pushed Harry towards the door. So much for distancing himself from Severus.

Invited to sit with his father at lunch, Harry took a seat next to him. After this Severus seemed to have enough nerve to sit on the other side of him despite his father's presence at the Gryffindor table.

Some of the students who stayed during the winter included Scorpius Malfoy and Dennis Creevey.

Harry knew why Scorpius stayed but why Dennis Creevey?

James seemed to read his mind.

"Dennis' parents work for the Daily Quibbler, they experience an attack on homebase nearly every year." James explained.

Harry instantly became worried about Ginny, he never knew she was in danger just for writing in a newspaper.

"Are you worried?"

Harry shook his head without meeting his father's eyes and his face turned crimson.

"You were in love with Ginny? In your world I mean?" James asked.

"Yeah, we were husband and wife."

Snape who was listening to this nearby clinched his fingers into a fist.

"And that didn't happen here because you were never born. You're worried if you remain here, Ginny may move on. If your love was real then she still will love you no matter where you are." James explained.

"I sure hope so." Harry added tragically.

Snape stood up, and began to mutter nastily in Harry's ear.

"Meet me in my office after your sweet little talk about your past relationships."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

With that, Snape unsteadily left the Great Hall.

After lunch, Harry made to leave before James grabbed his hand.

"Harry, what did you do? I've never seen Snape act that way." James asked with a hint of satisfaction.

While Harry was glad to have Snape off his back, he knew better than to tell James that Snape probably walked off from a bout of jealousy.

"Did Snape ask you to meet him after lunch?" James asked.

"Yeah."

"Be careful, Harry."

As Harry made his way to Snape's office, he began to knock on the door.

"Enter..." The voice echoed menacingly.

Harry cautiously entered the dungeons however upon opening the door he found the room was empty.

"Snape?"

"Close the door, Harry."

The boy turned to close the door and suddenly he saw the man had made his way into his personal space.

He noticed the man had a sort of pensive look and his eyes seemed to glisten with anger.

"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about, Snape?"

"Back to Snape now,eh Potter?"

"Hey I didn't tell you that you could call me by my first name, Snape."

"Did you hate me in your world, Harry?" Snape asked looking in the depths of Harry's eyes. Though Harry couldn't feel the probe of legilimency, he felt that Snape was looking deep into the depths of his soul.

The right answer might have given the professor the impression to back off but Harry was in desperate need of a teacher for Occlumency.

"No, I didn't hate you." Harry said gritting his teeth and forced himself to look deep within his professor's eyes confidently.

The Professor's expression didn't change and he almost looked thoughtful.

"When would you deem it a good time to start Occlumency lessons?" Snape said quietly.

"I'm available this evening."

"I'm looking forward to meeting you in this office at about 7:30."

"Alright."

HP

Harry arrived a couple of minutes before 7:30 outside Snape's door.

"Enter." Snape said after Harry knocked on his door.

Inside Snape was sitting at his desk seeming to be in the middle of grading papers.

"In a couple of minutes you would have been late."

"Sorry."

"You've yet to master the art of dueling and only upon mastering dueling can Occlumency be rendered effective."

Harry was quiet.

"During your last duel you were overcome with emotion allowing your opponent to undermine you." Snape explained.

"Yeah, so? Are you saying that it's completely wrong to harbor any emotion?" Harry said defiantly. "My emotions were the only chance I had against Voldemort."

"Whose to say those emotions will defend you even now?" Snape retorted folding his arms. "The key to Occlumency is to distance yourself from all emotion enough to focus energy on making a mental shield."

"Then maybe I'm just no good at Occlumency. You had the gall to rub it in my face, I couldn't even defend an attack from you. If I had learned Occlumency I would have been able to block the effects of the veritaserum, then the world would have never known that I was Harry Potter."

Snape winced.

"Is it really as bad as you make it?"

Harry was enraged.

"I didn't squander my fame and fortune as much as you believe. I wanted my identity to remain a secret."

"I never said you did."

"What?" Harry spat out suddenly confused.

"I never thought you squandered your fame at all."

The thought of the possibility that no one ever discovered Harry Potter had traveled to their world made Snape's heart clinch tight. The thought that even his parents didn't get to see him alive and well, basking in the pain of losing their only child made him feel very pensive. Even now he was certain alot of people would have missed him.

"Prepare yourself on the count of three. One, two, three, legilimens."

Memories of the Weasleys flashed through his mind before skimming over to his life at the Dursleys. He remembered the jealousy he felt over Dudley receiving presents every Christmas. Then he remembered being stuffed in the dark dreary cupboard. When Vernon Dursley had returned home, he remembered receiving lashes from his belt.

Then just as suddenly as the flashes of memory had appeared they were gone.

Harry panted hard.

Snape stared at him, his skin like sour milk.

"What was the memory?"

"What memory?" Harry asked innocently.

"The one with the cupboard."

"The place I had to spend ten years of my life. You had no right to access my private memories, your job is to teach me not to meddle with my affairs."

Snape looked at him. Harry thought he seemed to be torn about something.

"I'm amazed you can find it in your heart not to pity me. I bet you thought that I was some needy, emotional boy didn't you?"

"Spare yourself the dramatics." Snape snapped in an outburst of anger. His face was a brick red.

Harry stared at him with a steely gaze. He hadn't really been trying but feeling drained all of a sudden, Harry left the room.

HP

The next morning, Harry made his way to the hospital wing before breakfast.

Remus was asleep unconscious on one of the beds.

"Is he alright?" Harry asked.

"He'll be fine. Mr Black was seated next to him all night." Poppy explained.

Harry spotted Sirius clinging onto Remus' hand as if it were a major life line. For a moment, Harry thought he was squeezing on it desperately as if Remus died it would be the end of him.

The thought caused laughter to spring up inside him, when were Remus and Sirius ever lovers? The two were best friends.

"So how's he doing?" Harry asked taking a seat next to his godfather.

"He's an idiot." Sirius huffed.

"Why, is it because he didn't tell you anything?"

"When he was down, I wanted to be his strength." Sirius explained. "When I heard what he had done and that you were gone, I felt like he had betrayed me."

"I'm sure Remus never wanted to leave the impression that he had betrayed you. In fact if anything I seem to be the blame for the centre of problems here."

"Nonsense, Harry." Sirius said. "It's hell of a lot more fun with you around."

"What are you doing?"

Harry turned, his left eye twitching slightly.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Harry spotted Snape at the door.

"And what brings you here to dwell in our company, Snivellus?"

"Does my presence bother you, Black?"

"Not at all. I just don't appreciate your company. My godson doesn't need to be mingling with you."

"Really, I never would have guessed and just days after we kissed."

Harry saw the steam raise from Sirius' ears.

"YOU WHAT?"

"I didn't stutter, Black."

"He's lying." Harry said glaring at Snape. "I didn't kiss him. He kissed me."

"Why didn't you push him away?"

"I couldn't get free." Harry strained to say, struggling to push his pride aside to tell his godfather what happened.

Snape's eyes narrowed suspiciously before a bright light shimmered in their depths.

"You liked the kiss, didn't you?"

"No. Not at all." Harry retorted with a flush face embarrassed about having this conversation at all.

"You did, admit it."

"I didn't. When you kissed me, I tried to push you away..." Harry replied furiously, fighting with himself. "but I couldn't move."

Snape stepped back.

"What kind of hint do you need? Harry wants you to leave." Sirius said.

Snape snarled before turning to leave the hospital wing.

"Thanks Sirius."

"Don't mention it, Harry." Sirius said with a grin. "Say Harry, what did you mean when you said that you couldn't move when Snape tried to kiss you?"

"You can't tell, dad."

"Fine."

"I mean it, Sirius. This has to be a secret between us."

"Alright."

Harry turned towards the door where Snape had exited and eyed it with suspicion before leaning towards his godfather's ear.

"WHAT? Harry, you can't be serious."

"Oh believe me I'm serious."

"But that would mean...well he is very strong."

"You can't tell, dad."

"I don't think it would necessarily be a bad thing if we did, Harry. James is already suspicious of your little relationship with the potions master."

Just what made his own father suspect there was something more between him and Severus Snape?

Confused, Harry found himself wondering about the complex animosity between Snape and his dad.

HP

That afternoon Harry met his parents in the Great Hall for lunch. Looking at the Staff table, Harry saw Snape wasn't there.

"Where's Snape?" Harry asked.

"All the aurors are outside the Ministry for Magic. The Minister recieved an assassination threat from Voldemort's regime." Lily explained.

"Snape's an auror? I thought he was studying to become a medi-wizard. That is the reason why he was an apprentice to Madam Pomfrey, right?"

"He is, but Snape still works as an auror on the sidelines."

"What if Voldemort's planning something. It could be a trap."

"Are you worried?" James asked with narrow eyes.

"No."

His father's eyes narrowed further.

"You do know." Harry said with realisation.

James nodded in reflection to the conversation he and Sirius had exchanged in the hospital wing and smiled mischieviously, eyes inquiring about his earlier question.

"Maybe, a little bit." Harry admitted.

"If you're worried why don't you apparate to the Ministry but I'm sure he's fine." James said.

"You bloody idiot. You and Sirius don't think at all. Harry in this state, will have no chance at all if he's ambushed by the Ministry."

"That won't happen, Lily." James said confidentally. "I'm sure Harry can take care of himself. You won't let it get too far will you, Harry?"

Wanting to make his father proud, Harry gave him some positive reassurances making his mother feel more relieved.

Running outside the school grounds, Harry apparated to the Ministry for Magic.

HPSS

Once he arrived, Harry saw Snape turned away from him outside the Ministry with a visibly relieved face as if something had eased a worry that he'd held.

The moment he saw Harry however he paled.

"You FOOL!" Snape snarled.

"What's your problem?" Harry huffed. "I came after I heard you were sent here to guard the Minister and I'm the fool?"

"You came here for me? I'm bait, it's a trap. Get out of here before it's too late." Snape huffed, his face red and seemed to be looking around frantically.

"TOO LATE." A deep voice croaked behind Snape causing him to stiffen.

"Get your wand. Don't you have your wand?" Harry asked Snape.

"I-CAN'T-MOVE!" Snape snapped.

The man moved forward and grabbed Harry while in trying to break free of his grasp was struggling futilely due to his child-like state.

"Give me your wand." He uttered dangerously the man holding his wand coldly against his neck. Harry had no choice but to do so, shoulders dropping in defeat.

Soon in a pillar of black smoke, Voldemort appeared Bellatrix following beside him.

"Caught the quarry in my snare. Wasn't it a clever scheme leading the lover of that traitor straight into my trap?" Voldemort inquired snarkily to Bella who was cackling evilly beside him.

"That's where you're wrong, Tom. I am not his lover." Harry retorted as his face began to slowly turn an embarrassing crimson.

"The soul bond says otherwise. Do you take me for a fool?" Voldemort retorted before haughtily replying, "Though it appears yet to be consummated."

Snape's eyes widened.

"Don't act so surprised. I'd done some research." Voldemort said grabbing the ring upon Harry's middle finger. The boy was helpless to his onslaught. "Solomon's ring has the power to initiate soul bonds and the power to be recognised as King amongst magical creatures."

Harry glared at him furiously.

"Move aside, Yaxley."

Suddenly a yellow light burst from Voldemort's wand and Harry found he couldn't move.

"What's happening?" Harry panicked.

"He hit you with a paralysis charm."

"But why?"

Suddenly intense red eyes caused an unbearable pain to flood his consciousness and Harry was submerged in snippets of his worst memories:

The first day of potions class with Professor Snape during his first year. It was as if Harry was there once more.

Then the third year with the dementors surrounding his godfather preparing to give them both the dementor's kiss. He remembered Snape had almost nearly convinced the Minister for Magic that Sirius was guilty and had confunded them to believe his innocence.

The fourth year he remembered Snape had prevented him from seeing Dumbledore and thus prevented him from rescuing Barty Crouch sr.

Then a memory that was so intense, Harry knelt down cringing as he grasped his head gasping and panting at the incredible pain as he saw his godfather vanish behind the veil.

"Potter, what's wrong?"

An intense heated glare cut through Snape's barriers like a knife and the potions master gasped in horror at the amount of spite in the boy's eyes.

"SHUT UP. Pay the price traitor." Voldemort said sneering as he pointed his wand at Snape causing him to fold in on himself shivering with intense pain.

For some reason the sight of Snape in pain made him clinch his fingers into a tight fist and he turned around.

A bright red light came out of nowhere and cut through a multitude of death eaters causing some of them to collapse to the ground stunned.

Trembling with fury, Voldemort swooped closer to Harry grasping his chin and forcing him to look straight into his red eyes.

"How dare you try and defy me." He said in a voice quiet and maliciously cold before turning away.

Harry tried to concentrate once more to perform another feat of wandless magic but found himself unable to remember the curse or the intent of the spell he was about to cast.

What did Voldemort do to him?

"It may be futile to convince you but I must insist on asking once more..." Voldemort inquired. "Do you wish to join me? We can conquer the world. All of us."

Harry felt the glare of Snape directed his way.

"Snape may like you now but do you think he'd feel the same if you joined us. You have darkness in your soul fitting enough to be Slytherin. You could have been an evil wizard like me."

"You're right." Snape was startled when he saw defeat in the green, emerald eyes. "Fine."

The potions master paled to a ghastly white.

"I knew you'd be able to predict your inevitable defeat, Show your allegence now and kill the traitor." Voldemort said pointing his wand at Harry.

Snape was certain, Harry could protect himself against the imperious curse but there was no doubt in his mind that Voldemort had gained control of the boy.

Shock and horror surged through his veins. It could be no trick, they were surrounded even if Harry went free it didn't appear that Voldemort had let down his guard. After all the two of them had been through, Snape had never known that Harry could so easily swayed after the snake face had killed his parents in his world after he killed his friends.

"Don't act so surprised, Severus." Voldemort said. "You may have been loyal to Dumbledore but Harry still hasn't completely forgiven you. Even now he still hasn't forgiven you for the deaths of his parents as the person in his world. I believe he still thinks you responsible for the death of his godfather in his world. Pity, you'll never have the chance to ask for his forgiveness."

Snape stared sharply at Harry. Harry stared at him indifferently. It was horrifying.

"Just think you sacrificed your allegence to a man you despise just for a boy who doesn't even like you."

"I have no regrets so it doesn't matter, I'd still protect him no matter what." Snape said in defeat.

Harry stared at him indifferently as the death eaters began to laugh loudly taunting him.

'Remain indifferent.' A voice spoke in his head. ' I'm able to talk to you through our bond.'

Snape looked up towards Harry.

'Relax, got a portkey. We may be surrounded but if I leave, I'm bringing you with me. So just try to refuse.' Harry taunted.

"AVADAKEDAVRA." Harry chanted his wand aimed at Snape. The potions master fell coldly to the hard solid ground.

"I killed him." Harry told Voldemort coldly. "Does it satisfy you?"

Everyone was quiet.

"Not enough I'm afraid."

"Incendio." Voldemort cried pointing his wand at the body of Severus Snape.

Harry moved in the way instinctively, wincing as the flame licked up his legs.

"Check the body." Voldemort said furiously as he walked toward his direction completely ignoring the groans of pain as Harry embraced his burnt leg close to him instead drawing nearer to Snape's dead body.

The death eaters surrounded the potions master.

"Potter, I'll get you for that." Snape groaned, causing them to gasp. His eyes remained closed.

"I'd like to see you try." Harry said with a mischievious grin.

Snape jumped up with a surprising endurance and pummelled him to the ground causing futile punching and kicking to take place. The two vanished in the confusion.

HPSS

Weeks in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey healing his burnt leg, Harry was resting for a bit until he heard Snape and Dumbledore enter his room.

"Why didn't you tell me about him the moment he arrived?" Snape snarled.

"I found it unnecessary." Harry heard Dumbledore reply.

"What were you hoping to gain by uninforming me? Were you hoping I'd be more successful in prying in his personal affairs. I doubt Potter is capable of hiding anything more from you. What were you hoping to discover by manipulating me in dosing the man with veritaserum?" Snape asked. "You told me you were suspecting that he was hiding some horrible secret."

"Well, what did you discover?"

"I'm not playing anymore games with you, Dumbledore. I've already abused his trust. How do you think he'll take it if you try to manipulate his emotions."

"I assure you that it was necessary."

"He trusts you now but does he know the real reason why Lupin abandoned his position as your spy."

"What do you know?" Dumbledore asked completely shocked at the gall of the potions master.

"I confess I don't know the exact reason why he quit but I do know it has something to do with Mr Potter." Snape drawled.

"Perhaps he's already told you something." Dumbledore prompted.

"It is not my place to confide that."

"You're doing a great job in gaining his trust."

"I hardly count much as a confidant you'd have better luck talking to his parents."

"You're hiding something."

"Even if I was, I assure you I wouldn't tell you."

It was at this point that a nagging thought dawned on Harry. Voldemort had said Remus was present that day due to a debt that he had owned to him. Later when they had returned to Hogwarts Remus said that he didn't want to do it anymore. Did it have anything to do with Dumbledore? Was that why Dumbledore was spying on him?

"So that's what Remus was talking about!" Harry said in an outburst of anger.

The magic removed Dumbledore from the room.

"You were in cohoots with Voldemort this entire time?"

"What's he talking about, Dumbledore?" Snape snarled.

"I confess it's true." Dumbledore said sadly.

"You nearly killed everyone with your negligence."

"It was the only way to repair our standing. Every years, we've received threats about attacks on our school. What was I suppose to do?"

"Surely you have the magic and the power to protect this school."

"You overestimate me, Harry. Clearly I've always exhuberated some false sense of competence to you as headmaster in your world but the answer is clear that you weren't always completely protected." Dumbledore said. "Your father and your godfather were legends having found 6 secret passages that lead outside our school. One could easily penetrate through our established defences."

"Your brother was always telling me that death follows when you're around. No one questions it but maybe it's due to the mindless incompetent of a wizard like you."

Dumbledore looked as if he were going to say something.

"I don't want to hear it." Harry said, and with that Dumbledore left leaving him and Snape alone in the room.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't want your apologies."

Snape who radiated confidence suddenly seemed unsure about himself.

"Here, this is for you." Snape said handing Harry a simmering red potion in a glass vial.

"What is it?"

"The antidote for your little problem."

"I don't want it, I may look like a fragile child but I can take care of it myself."

"Take it."

"No, don't take me as a fool. I see the pity in your eyes."

Snape slipped the vial within a pouch hanging on his sash, looking disgusted with himself and frustrated with Harry.

"Leaving anytime soon?"

In defeat, Snape turned on his heel.

Unnoticed by Snape, Harry took out the simmering glass vial with red potion he had stolen from him and took a long swig, grimacing at the taste of the potion.

Upon hearing the groans of pain, Snape ran towards the hospital wing after walking to the end of the hall.

Snape stared on feeling helpless as Harry's veins raked with the unbearable pain.

Limbs began to extend and his neck began to broaden and his chin began to grow a bit of beard.

After some time, Harry had eventually fallen asleep.

Snape smiled before entering the room.

"Get some rest." Snape said sitting in a table beside the man's bed holding his hands and rubbing his thin fingers along the soft flesh.

"Good night...Harry."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Every evening after Harry had finished dinner, he'd drop by Snape's office to learn Occlumency. He seemed to get better as the days drew on.

Snape said nothing about the soulbond that had been initiated without consent and as far as Harry was concerned he had no interest in pursuing the matter further.

"Come in." He said to Harry when he had arrived for Occlumency one day.

Harry stepped inside. Snape seemed a little apprehensive.

"So what do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to consummate the bond? You'd be more powerful if you did."

"Do you want to consummate the bond?" Harry retorted.

"You are an attractive young man." Snape said grasping Harry's chin so he looked straight into emerald green eyes. "I really think a relationship could work if you'd give us a chance."

"I don't know." Harry turned away.

"What's the matter?"

"It feels like I'm abandoning Ginny." Harry said sullenly.

"What if you return only not to see her again? She could've moved on. She could have died." Snape snarled, flinging him away with disgust.

"Ginny, wouldn't die. Not without me and she'd a loyal wife." Harry added cheerfully.

"If you'd never return, I'm sure she'd expect you to move on."

"I CAN'T DO THAT." Harry said.

Snape turned away, hair conceiling his face.

"That's fine." He uttered quietly. "I understand."

Harry couldn't help but feel he had hurt the potions master somehow.

For days the potions master avoided him and the tension was enough to radiate awkward air in the Great Hall.

"What's the matter with Professor Potter and Professor Snape?" Molly asked Lily one day at lunch.

"The two probably had a friendly disagreement." Lily said, secretly concerned.

HPSS

Late in the depths of night while Madam Rosmerta was washing the tables of the Three Broomsticks, she was greeted by a weary man who look like he was lacking hours of sleep.

"I just need the time to forget it all."

"You too?"

He turned to peak at the man, he looked familiar.

"You're Harry Potter aren't you?"

"Yeah, you look familiar. I think I've seen you at the Ministry. What's your name again?"

"Steven McCloud. So what are you doing down here? I never pictured a man like you looking for a shag?"

"Am I that obvious?" Harry asked turning giving him a sideways glance.

"I wouldn't mind taking you for tonight."

In the edge of his mind he knew he wished to be somewhere else, certainly the potions master's bed though didn't seem that appetising. He was usually a master at convincing himself but now he just sounded desperate.

He remembered the cocky look of the potions master when he had kissed Harry as if his experience would make him the dominate of their relationship. It peeved him.

The simplicity of such a relationship made him nauseous.

"You wouldn't believe the gall of some people." Harry muttered as Steven began to kiss and nip down it's chest.

"What happened?" Steven asked in concern.

"It's embarrassing."

"It can't be too bad if you wanted to talk about it."

"This is my first time with a guy. The gall of that man, I bet he would just love it if I came to him ready to have his wand between my legs." Harry growled, mewling as Steven flicked at his chest.

"You act as if you love the guy."

"Nothing wrong with that is there? This is nothing serious. It's only a temporary fling to me. It would be so embarrassing to have 'him' take my virginity." Harry said, screaming as he reached climax.

"Same time, next week?"

Throughout the week during his evenings, Harry would drop by Steven's home after classes with Snape. Lately that man had taken to ignoring him much to his ire.

One evening Steven had dropped by Harry's rooms.

The two kissed and Harry was horrified to discover James Potter in the room giving Harry a knowing look. Steven decided to walk off leaving the two alone.

"Harry..."

"Yes, what is it?"

"You should be more subtle in your liasons. Today you got careless."

"You were spying on me?" Harry asked enraged.

"Well, you were exactly subtle." James added maliciously.

"How did you get in my rooms?"

James winced visibly.

"You got injured from penetrating my wards didn't you?"

"I was just curious. You going to punish my curiousity?"

"I don't need you telling me how to live my life. You weren't even there for the majority of it."

James paled.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry didn't want to back down it would be so simple to do so and not address the reasons for his anger.

"I don't like being manipulated like someone's puppet."

"I wasn't trying to manipulate you, Harry." James explained. "I was just a little concerned. I've always had a little regret for how Snape turned out. He's not exactly emotionally stable after everything so please don't break his heart."

"You think that me and Steven are serious?"

"So that's his name?"

"It's not like I don't like Snape. You've never fancied another man so you wouldn't understand."

"You don't want your first time to be with Snape."

"What? How did you know?"

"You're a Potter, how else?" James added arrogantly. "If I were in your shoes I'd be the same way."

"Thanks."

"If you plan on breaking his heart though he will shatter. Ever since his first love went missing Snape hasn't been the same."

"You're talking about Rabastan."

"I'd prefer you not tell Snape any of this. He doesn't know and it's best if this remain secret. Rabastan died at the hands of Lord Voldemort."

"Doesn't Snape know?"

"Snape DID know, it was mind-shattering. The man was beyond himself. Dumbledore obliviated him for his own good. If Snape were to know this information he'd go insane. The only thing that Snape knows is that Rabastan has been missing for nearly 50 years. He's probably convinced himself that he's dead at this point as he's likely moved on."

"Why do you say that?"

"He interacts with you. Snape has been solitary for much of his life, I don't think he'd change that unless he fancies you."

"Oh."

"Harry, I am sorry that I couldn't be there for you when you were growing up. It is one of my greatest regrets."

"It's not your fault." Harry said. "Let me treat your arm."

"Thanks, Harry." James said offering his arm for Harry to heal.

HPSS

Throughout the weeks, Snape found himself thinking about Harry Potter. The two of them had taken to avoiding each other after their conversation a while back concerning the soul bond.

Snape could still feel the lingerings of the bond in his head. With the bond he could probably talk to the man, maybe read his thoughts if he so chose but it was the thought that Harry wouldn't like it that prevented him from doing so.

As he was walking the halls hoping to catch students out after curfew to deliver detention, his attention was drawn by the sound of moans and groans. They were coming from Harry's rooms.

Curious, Snape turned to investigate. To his horror, he saw Harry kissing another man.

'I thought he was loyal to his wife.' Snape thought gritting his teeth. 'The gall of that man. I'll show him not to mess with me.'

The moment Snape stepped forward, Harry turned and saw him eyes filled with bloodlust.

"I guess I'll be going now, Harry." Steven said turning on his heel and leaving like he usually did oblivious to Snape's deadly glare.

Harry turned towards Snape.

"What are you doing here?"

"Why were you kissing that man?"

"It's none of your concern."

"You told me you had a wife."

"So what? She's not here like you said so it don't matter." Harry said. "It wouldn't stop you from kissing me, maybe taking things a little too far."

"What are you talking about?"

"Maybe I don't want you taking my virginity all right." Harry spat.

Snape gazed at him condescendingly.

"All that because you feel a little insecure about getting laid?!" Snape snarled.

"Shut up." Harry snapped and pushed him against the wall kissing him on the lips.

Snape was distracted by the bittersweet taste of rough lips meeting his own as he was slammed against the door of Harry's room.

Harry magically opened the door as they continued to kiss, removing Snape's sash from his waist and unfurling his robes.

At the edge of the bed, Snape tripped and landed sorely on his back. Harry climbed on and staddled his hips kissing and nipping down his chest causing mewls and groans.

"Harry!" He gasped as he was stroked to a peak. When Harry deemed him prepared enough, he sought to penetrate his interior.

Soft kiss, bites and caresses and Snape was a sobbing mess. Both went to sleep after the rough ideal.

The next morning as Harry awoke he spotted Snape rummaging through his closet.

"Snape."

The older man turned horrified.

"Last night was a mistake."

"How can you say that?"

"It was nothing more than sex to you."

"You'd think I'd stoop that low."

"He certainly looks like a good snog."

"That's all he is." Harry grumbled. "He's overbearing, has bad breath not to mention the only thing he likes about me is my g-n status in the Wizarding World."

"Then stay with your wife."

"Look Snape I'm not going to see Steven anymore."

"How easily those words spill from your mouth." Snape said sadly. "Just get out."

"I'm not seeing Steven anymore."

"GET OUT."

Harry complied reluctantly.

HPSS

Lily managed to trap Harry in her quarters to discuss Snape.

"What happened between the two of you?" Lily asked.

"It's probably my fault." Harry said. "He wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with me."

"What's wrong with that?"

"It feels like I'm being coerced into doing it."

"Oh, I forgot." Lily said. "You have a wife in your universe."

"Sinistra told me that she is capable of sending me back."

"What else did she tell you?" Lily asked certain Harry was hiding something.

"She told me I could die."

"If you don't return to the world where Ginny is your loyal wife, how do you know she'd be alive to scold you about it?"

"Snape said the same thing. Are you encouraging me to cheat on my wife?"

"No, you seem very sad and I just want you to be happy. The only time you seem happy is when you are with Snape. Ginny isn't here but wouldn't you wish the same thing for her?"

"Yes if I couldn't see her again, I'd want her to be happy."

"How far have you got with Snape." Lily asked.

"We shagged yesterday but he regrets it."

"What did you do?"

"He caught me kissing another man."

"Why did you kiss them?"

"It would have been embarrassing to see him steal my virginity. He'd have probably humiliated me for the rest of my life."

"How can he trust you even after all of that?"

"We haven't even dated, mum. He practically was hitting on me eventually he would have tried something."

"Is there anything wrong with that?"

"No." Harry admitted. "Over the last several months we've got to know more about each other and I've grown to like him. I just don't want to be coerced and pressured into it."

"Do you trust me, Harry?"

"Not really." Harry said. "Not after Dumbledore has breeched through my trust. He'll probably have to earn it back. Did you know he was spying on me?"

"I didn't know that Harry."

"I want to believe you but I don't think I can." Harry said.

"Harry, if your words are genuine then there is no way you can be coerced or pressured into anything."

"He don't believe me."

"All he needs is a little convincing." Lily replied optimistically.

HPSS

One evening Harry had Hamila conceiled by Snape's office.

"What's the password?"

Hamila looked towards the portrait across his office.

"George Byron?"

The portrait opened. Harry took a seat at the man's desk.

Now he'd just have to wait.

After class, the footsteps of Severus Snape drew near his office.

"George Byron." The deep voice of Severus Snape opened the portrait.

"Stopped by your office I see."

Snape folded his arms as his favourite armchair was twirled around revealing Harry Potter.

"Come here to gloat?" Snape snarled.

"I find gloating unappealing." Harry said walking slowly towards Snape.

"Why are you here?"

"Is it a crime to be here?" Harry asked causing Snape to choke back his words in silence.

"Listen here, Potter. Whatever game you think you may be trying put if you so much as take it too far.."

Suddenly Harry kissed him. Snape gasped as a tongue brushed his lips. Harry found he tasted like a mix of coffee and chocolate, bitter, molten and sweet.

"I guess I'll be leaving." Harry said. "See you professor."

Snape flushed covering his mouth with the underside of his hand.

'The gall of that man.'

Next Chapter: Finally buildup on the plot. What's Voldemort up to? Will Harry ever get back home?


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

The next morning, Harry made his way to the headmaster's office. If Snape was still mad at him, he would get over it and move in.

"Cockroach clusters." Harry muttered the password and walked inside.

Dumbledore sat on a chair behind his desk as Harry encroached upon him.

"Tell me Mr Potter, if I have issued you a misjustice why do you still take hours from your time to visit me?"

"Your manipulations are something I have got used to. If I held grudges I wouldn't have the pride to ask you for help." Harry said. "Is there any way to access the Lestrange Vault without being a legal heir to the family?"

"There is none." Dumbledore said.

"That wouldn't happen to be an answer you simply said in order to manipulate me into doing something else for you would it?" Harry chided.

Dumbledore looked stricken by his answer.

Harry chuckled at his misery.

"It's alright if it is." Harry said. "Though it may take me a while to completely forgive you for working with Voldemort."

"Um...Har-It is okay if I continue to address you as Harry, isn't it? The atmosphere would seem a little cold if I simply addressed you as Mr Potter."

"Yes, you can call me Harry."

"Harry, if Voldemort has read your mind more than likely he will personally insure that the horcrux located in Gringotts is safe. More than likely you can be sent to Azkaban if you are caught. If by the off-chance you are sent to Azkaban there is a secret passage. Remember this map that I've tattooed above my knee. Commit it to memory." Dumbledore said lifting his robes so Harry could see the tattoo on his leg. "I'll ask Mr Cresswell to lead you to the Lestrange vault."

"Isn't that the tattoo of the London Underground?"

"It's underneath Azkaban. They'll be a number, 18811818. The last number will lead you to the pit." Dumbledore explained. "I'll ask you that if you arrive on the other end to leave and destroy what you'll find."

"Alright." Harry said before stepping out of Dumbledore's office.

HPSS

So wrapped up in his thoughts, Harry didn't notice what was going on ahead of him and ran straight into Severus Snape who had him by the shoulders.

"What were you talking with Dumbledore about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Harry replied confidentally, his arms folded cockily.

"POTTER!"

"That isn't what you called me last night."

Snape flushed visibly.

"The way you act is reminiscent to a virgin and I should know I was a virgin."

"What were you talking with Dumbledore about?" Snape said irritably, asking through gritted teeth.

"It's none of your business."

"It has nothing to do with the horcruxes does it?"

"So what if it does." Harry retorted.

"Were you intending on going alone?"

"I can defend myself, I'm not a kid anymore."

Snape's eyes widened in shock before straightening into a stoic mask.

"That's irrelevant, it's smells like a trap. You know it's a trap."

"I'm not doing this for my parents, I'm doing it for Dumbledore." Harry said. "This whole time he's had to resort to joining Voldemort to protect everyone. He's never witnessed hope, if I do this he'll see that it's never time to give up."

"Foolish man."

"It isn't foolish."

"I won't let you go." Snape said encompassing him in a suffocating embrace.

"I have to." Harry said trying to push away. The gesture despite the effort put behind it was futile.

"Then let me accompany you."

"Don't you realise that you would be an accomplice to a crime. We could both be sentenced to Azkaban."

"Since when did you care about my welfare, Potter?" Snape inquired coldly.

Harry sensing a chilling atmosphere managed to break free from his grip.

'No doubt he's remembering that affair that I had with Steven.' Harry thought. 'He's a man surely he could understand.'

"I always cared, because guess what? Newsflash, Steven was nothing but a fling to me." Harry said. "You really think I was going to let you take my virginity. It's embarrassing enough."

Understanding glistened in Snape's eyes as Harry praddled on.

"...A bloke took your virginity so it's only fair that we even the playing table." Harry said defiantly before getting kissed thoroughly on the lips.

The kiss was rough, a mixture of teeth and tongue. Snape at some point had broke away, to nip down his neck.

"I-I guess I'm forgiven then." Harry stuttered breathlessly.

HPSS

The next morning, the men headed to the Leaky Cauldron which concealed the entrance to Diagon Alley.

"So _Harry _Potterwhere do you think we are going?"

"We're going to Gringotts, there is a horcrux in the Lestrange Vault."

In the front of the building was a shaggy man.

"Ah, you must be Mr Potter."

"You must be Mr Cresswell. It's very nice to meet you." He said while shaking his hand firmly.

"I've spoke to the goblins about everything that is necessary and have permission to personally escort you to where you need to go."

Both men followed him into the bank, the goblins nodding as the three of them boarded a mine cart.

Once they were off, only then was Harry able to relax.

"I take it you want to obtain something important from the Lestrange Vault." Cresswell asked.

"Yes."

"Is it something dangerous?"

"In a way it is." Harry explained. "It would probably be best if you waited outside the vault."

Once they made the three had arrived at the Lestrange Vault, Snape was the first to gracefully step out. His hand was held out to Harry which he took with gratification.

Both made their way inside with Cresswell waiting outside the vault.

"Careful not to touch anything. The Lestranges cursed most of the contents with the Gemino curse." Harry whispered cautiously to Snape.

"Yes, because any death eater who has vault with contents wouldn't take any precautionary matters should a thief be successful in accessing their vaults." Snape replied sarcastically.

"Fine, I get your point I'm the only one who didn't figure that out. I wasn't intending on being condescending not everyone would know that." Harry huffed.

Snape twiddled his wand in a silly manner and various objects glowed a bright blue colour.

"What did you do?" Harry asked.

Snape crept closer rummaging through objects for something that had caught his eye.

"Is this what you were looking for?"

Harry eerily drew closer, peeking over Snape's shoulder. The gesture startled Snape considerably the man's chest brushed his shoulder.

His fingers brushed the golden cup which proceeded in multiplying. Harry saw Snape's eyes widen with surprise.

"It seems whatever counterspell you cast didn't work on it but it's not surprising." Harry said.

Hamila who was tattooed on Harry's back seemed to sense that her master needed her and slithered down his shoulder to wrap around his arm and bit into the cup.

The cup melted eroding into a green before fading into a dark coppery brown colour.

"I know you can't understand me but thank you, Hamila."

After both left the vault, they met outside with Mr Cresswell and headed back into the cart.

As the three men went on a rough ride they were met with a surprise once at the front desk.

Harry didn't recognise any of the auror members who greeted them.

"Harry Potter and Severus Snape you are both under arrest for the decimation of the contents of the Lestrange Vault."

Harry, so surprised was shocked speechless and didn't put up a struggle when they arrested him.

Before Snape could even put up a struggle, he grunted as three aurors had incapcitated him.

End Notes:

What will happen to Snape and Harry once they're sent to Azkaban? What was Dumbledore talking about? Stay tuned for Chapter 18.

Response to 'Guest's review'-I didn't even realise I made that mistake until I read my work again. It's probably the hundredth time I've done so. I know general math but it's just a mistake I didn't see when going over my work so I'll go back and correct it. Thanks.


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